Neil C Smith
Artist : Technologist : Adviser
My work explores ways of opening up and challenging the nature of creativity itself, in particular through the innovative use of technology. Working sonically and visually, solo and in collaboration, I create live improvised performances, and context-specific generative and interactive installations. Breaking away from familiar uses of technology as a reproductive medium, much of my work exists in real-time and real-space - each moment a unique and unrepeatable experience. (See the Projects and Events sections for more information).
Integrally related to my artistic practice, I work as a technologist and adviser with artists and organisations, specialising in free open-source technology and the wider aspects of the free culture movement. (See the Consultancy section for more information).
Get in touch with me on the Contact page, or use the Search page to find your way around the site.
Magoria, a work originally commissioned by Faces of Oxfordshire in 2007, has now been installed permanently in the introductory gallery at Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock. The work toured the county from late-2007 to early-2009, developing and expanding as it toured. For more information on the museum, please see http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/the_oxfordshire_museum. If you download my praxis software, you can also play around with a simpler version of the Magoria work.
A new binary download of praxis, the open-source rewrite of the software framework I use to create most of my work, is now up on the praxis development site at http://praxis.googlecode.com. There has been substantial development from the previous early preview, with audio, GUI and MIDI support added in, though the range of features for these is still limited. All source code is now online in the repository and synced regularly with my development tree.
In September - October 2009 I took part in a short residency and exhibition project with Departure Gallery in a semi-derelict warehouse on Trident Way, Southall, London. During this project I created Threshold, a simple interactive audio-visual work that amplified and transformed the sound of people entering and leaving the space.
Over the last few months I’ve been reworking the software framework that I use to create my work, with the intention of releasing it under a free, open-source licence (GPL). An early preview of this is now available at http://praxis.googlecode.com. There’s still quite a lot of work to do, but it’s capable of running a version of Magoria - a low-resolution version is in the examples. Feel free to have a go and let me know what you think!
Dance artist Jenny Parrott and I have recently begun working on a long-term research residency project at New Greenham Arts as part of their Evolve programme. We will be exploring ways of creating interactive spaces for creative play, exploring how audiences and performers might be encouraged to move creatively within technology augmented spaces, particularly influenced by movement in the natural landscape around Greenham Common.
I’ve uploaded a video of Magoria being projected outdoors in Oxford at Winter Light (Nov 2008) and in the Who is Who? exhibition at Banbury Museum (Feb 2009). This is currently on Google Video at http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-4764035630193883215. Higher quality directly hosted videos are coming soon!
