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Muse oder Monster – Prompting for Paradise

AI chat bot

How are we dealing with AI? Are we inspired, overwhelmed, worried? For the Kulturkonferenz Ruhr 2024, Max Schweder and I created interconnected interactive digital artworks: We developed an AI chat assistant to allow visitors to reflect on AI with the AI assistant itself. Based on the conversation, the AI assistant firstly evaluates how AI is situated between the extremes of a supportive and inspiring muse and a destructive and evil monster. Secondly, the AI assistant also evaluates the user's own behaviour towards the assistant. Using their smartphones, conference participants become part of an artistic process: by interacting with the AI assistant, they generate visuals for the final performance in real time. The resulting AI-generated images are prompted by a second dedicated assistant and visually interpret the entire conversation the user had with the assistant. A sound-responsive digital art performance at the end of the conference, created and performed by Max Schweder, presents the content generated by visitors and AI assistants alike in the form of a live mashup.

A production by Save the World in collaboration with Max Schweder and Tobias Hartmann, the duo CYLVESTER for interactive digital art.

Press Release RVR Ruhr 19.09.24

Kulturkonferenz Ruhr 2024 – 19.09.24 Lichtburg Essen

Credits

AI Chatbot Development: Tobias Hartmann

Music and Sound: CYLVESTER (Tobias Hartmann, Max Schweder)

Visual Art and Interactive Performance: Max Schweder

Idea and Concept: Max Schweder, Tobias Hartmann, Nicola Bramkamp

Dramaturgy: Nicola Bramkamp (Save the World)

Scenography: Anna Tenti

Research Question Impulses: Anna Tenti

Custom Controller for Uncertain Tides

Uncertain Tides Controller

For one exhibition room of Uncertain Tides I designed and built a custom controller (in collaboration with Max Schweder and Alexander Rechberg). It allows visitors to the exhibition to simulate the increase in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. The higher the amount of CO2 in ppm set by the user, the more drastic and uncertain is the climate change scenario displayed on the eight screens of the installation.

opening 14.06.24 Antwerp (NL)

Credits

Concept: Tobias Hartmann and Max Schweder (CYLVESTER)

Controller design and building: Tobias Hartmann

ESP32 Hardware and Code: Alexander Rechberg

LED Visuals: Max Schweder

Video Installation Setup (Sofware/Hardware): Max Schweder

Laser Cutting and 3D Printing Supported by Friedrich Böll.

Spatial Audio for cables.gl

Uncertain Tides Controller

For cables.gl, a versatile, highly accessible and free online and offline visual programming tool, I developed Spatial Audio (or 3D Audio) Operators. These are ready-to-use code snippets written in JavaScript that allow users to work with spatial audio in web or offline projects without coding!

To get started, create a cables account and join the Spatial Audio Team linked below to use the operators:

cables.gl/team/spatialaudio

Credits

Spatial Audio OPs: Tobias Hartmann

cables.gl: undev.studio

SHAME - European Stories

For SHAME - European Stories (by Justice Initiative EU and Umsteuern! Robin Sisterhood e.V.) I developed a web application that allows project members to do interactive projection mapping to show portraits of the SHAME exhibition series. This approach to interactive digital art decouples the mapping performance from the developing artist, making it more community-oriented and sustainable by empowering project members and affiliates to perform autonomously. The premiere at the Platz der Kinderrechte and the Brüsseler Platz in Cologne was powered by ALL YOUR BASE.

justice-initiative.eu/exhibition

justice-initiative.eu

um-steuern.org

allyourbase.art

Credits

Concept and Development: Tobias Hartmann

Technical Support: Dennis Aycicek

Video: Fabian Klein

allyourbase.art

made with cables.gl

you:ATLAS

In Greek mythology, Atlas shoulders the firmament and has a firm grip on its elements. But what would the titan do if he could suddenly playfully control all the lights in the sky and even the sounding spheres of the universe? you:ATLAS is a reactive audio-visual installation inspired by this thought. For a while, a person can take on the role of the titan and get hold of a visual and acoustic sphere that surrounds all visitors. With their movements and gestures they directly shape and form the virtual firmament of light, interactive projections and reactive spatial sound.

Comissioned by DARK Festival 2021 for Auferstehungskirche Arnsberg.

lichtforumnrw.de

Credits

Concetpt and Development: Max Schweder and Tobias Hartmann

Audio and Interaction: Tobias Hartmann

Visuals, Light and Interaction: Max Schweder

Assistance and Documentation: Mario Simon

Transformation – Westring22

The artist collective “Westring 22” transformed the building at Westring 22 in Bochum into an experiential, multimedia, interactive, audiovisual, and evolving installation called TRANSFORMATION in the summer of 2020.

Transformation – Westring22 emphasises and thematises the transition of the building at Westring 22 from one phase of its existence to the next. Like the city of Bochum, the building itself is in a state of flux. This change, however, is not meant to go unnoticed, but to be illuminated and clarified. The participatory audio-visual installation Transformation – Westring22 allows visitors to become part of this transformation.

Credits

Project management, concept, and interactive visualization: Max Schweder

Audio Coding, Reactive Binaural Audio Installation, Realtime Audio Streaming: Tobias Hartmann

Concept, mentoring, and visualization: Mario Simon

Installation: Natalja Hipke

Technical realization: Dominik Bay

Technical Realisation: Aline Wyrwich

ALL YOUR BASE

ALL YOUR BASE is an audio-visual installation, a mobile tactical tool for creating reactive and interactive audio-visual art in public places and urban spaces. Everything needed for interactive audio-visual art made mobile.

Developed and premiered during CityLeaks Urban Art Festival 2021.

allyourbase.art

Credits

Concept and Development: Max Schweder and Tobias Hartmann

Cart Construction: Lukas Pleß

Partners:

Internet provided by congstar & sipgate.

CYLvision - How to CYLVESTER?

How to CYLVESTER – Making of CYLVESTERmaschine

Music video featuring a live audio-reactive laser choreography.

In 2018 we finished the development of CYLvision, our first attempt to develop our very own and unique system for creating sound-reactive visuals. For several years, CYLvision brought colorful (sometimes a little different then expected…) realtime-visuals to all our CYLVESTER concerts.

With CYLVESTER we played at the opening event of the Exhibition PinkFloyd – Their Mortal Remains at Dortmunder U.

CYLVESTER Website

Credits

CYLVESTER - Max Schweder & Tobias Hartmann

DOP/documentation/supervision - Fabian Klein

Interviewer - Simon Dolensky

Software Developer - Chikashi Miyama

Graphic Design/Animations - Miu-Wah Lok aka Hyra.Chi

Logo-Design - Bruno Bauch

Audio Technics - Marvin Böttger

Shot at Blue in Green Studio - Frank Brempel

Shot at Energiekreis Zuckerhut Studios - David Trapp

Project Support - Sarah Bickert

Technical Support - Myron Kritenko

Technical Support - Camcar

Gefördert durch das Kulturamt der Stadt Köln

Frank - by CYLVESTER

Live Recording of CYLVESTER performing Frank DAWless and live.

CYLVESTER Website

Listen on Spotify

Credits

Lioness – Oh Sleep (CYLVESTER Remix 2019)

Written and Produced by CYLVESTER

Mastering – Daniel Karelly (aka. Affe Maria)

Cover Artwork - Bruno Bauch

Video Concept and Idea - CYLVESTER & Fabian Klein

DOP Cut and Edit - Fabian Klein

Laser Setup and Operation - Alexander Rechberg (Plex Noir)

Lioness - Oh Sleep written by Florian Sczesny (Oh Sleep)

produced by David Maria Trapp at Energiekreis Zuckerhut Studios

Mastering: Alex Kloss

© CYLVESTER 2019

Linoess (Oh Sleep) - CYLVESTER Remix

Lioness (by Oh Sleep) - CYLVESTER Remix.

Music video featuring a live audio-reactive laser choreography.

CYLVESTER Website

Listen on Spotify

Credits

Lioness – Oh Sleep (CYLVESTER Remix 2019)

Written and Produced by CYLVESTER

Mastering – Daniel Karelly (aka. Affe Maria)

Cover Artwork - Bruno Bauch

Video Concept and Idea - CYLVESTER & Fabian Klein

DOP Cut and Edit - Fabian Klein

Laser Setup and Operation - Alexander Rechberg (Plex Noir)

Lioness - Oh Sleep written by Florian Sczesny (Oh Sleep)

produced by David Maria Trapp at Energiekreis Zuckerhut Studios

Mastering: Alex Kloss

© CYLVESTER 2019

AnAlog AV Art fAbrik

Interactive audio-visual installation in collaboration with Remmy Canedo.

AnAlog AV Art fAbrik is an interacitve installation and was rewarded with the 1st Price of the International LANXESS Composition Competition of the Acht Brücken Festival 2014. The installation was on display at Philharmonie Köln. AnAlog AV Art fAbrik is an all analogue audio/visual art production place where the audience has to work at different machines to create art:

  • riding the bike to produce electricity and run video signals
  • playing with tape heads on a huge magnetic tape to create music
  • working with DIY video mixers to manipulate the signal routing of 5 video channels
Credits

Concept and Idea: Remmy Canedo, Tobias Hartmann

Building: Remmy Canedo, Tobias Hartmann

DIY analog audio-visual-devices: Remmy Canedo, Tobias Hartmann

Cage was a n00b

cage was a n00b is an interactive audio-visual installation. While playing table soccer, the movement of the ball is tracked in realtime. The reactive sound is following the movement of the ball within a 4 channel surround audio system. The visuals are triggered by kicking the ball.

cage was a n00b was on display at:

  • Acht Brücken Festival Cologne 2012 & 2013
  • Platine Festival Cologne 2013
  • MH Stuttgart 2013
  • HEK Basel 2014
  • MU Eindhoven 2014
Credits

Concept by: Remmy Canedo, Sergej Maingardt, Tobias Hartmann

Visuals and code: Remmy Canedo

Audio content and installation building: Tobias Hartmann

Audio content: Sergej Maingardt