A PREVIEW: C O D E X DYNAMIC, DUMBO ARTS FESTIVAL

Jaakko Pallasvuo, Video Still from “Stage Magic” Image courtesy of the artist and Codex Dynamic

codex |ˈkōˌdeks|                                                            noun ( pl. codices |ˈkōdəˌsēz, ˈkäd-| or codexes )an ancient manuscript text in book form.• an official list of medicines, chemicals, etc.
dynamic |dīˈnamik|adjective1 (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress: a dynamic economy.

The team behind this ambitious project and three day exhibition have been organizing and exhibiting video works as part of the Dumbo Arts Festival for the past three years. In September 2011 they collaborated on a project titled Immersive Surfaces along with Richard Jochum, the team Glowing Bulbs and others. This year, once again Glowing Bulbs along with Integrated Visions and John Ensor Parker lending his skills as well, have been selected as the masterminds and the technical magic makers, behind the scenes creating the intricate and measured digital work that will be projection mapped underneath the Archway and onto the Anchorage of the Manhattan Bridge. Both Glowing Bulbs & John Ensor Parker have made a collaborative work, titled An Inquiring Age, while Integrated Visions has contributed Time Divides. Last year, the content conceptually focused on the immersive realization of space, eluding to depth on what is actually a flat surface. Codex Dynamic promises to not only do the same, if not more, visually, but also addresses the existential and conceptual progression brought on by the same ephemeral materials (pixels) that have allowed the work itself to come into fruition: technological advances.

Marina Zurkow and Daniel Shiffman , Video still from “NeoGeo I”, NeoGeo 1, 2012 Single-channel animation, color, silent, 3 minute excerpt Image courtesy of the artists and Codex Dynamic

It is my belief that “Codex Dynamic” will be a special moment as there has never been a video art exhibition quite like it before. A host of single-channel works from established creators in the art world, including Monika Bravo, Yi Zhou and Marina Zurkow, to name a few, will be presented along with two large-scale video mapped works. This will provide the viewer an opportunity to intimately study the subtle intent of a work such as “Isolation Tank” by Gary Hill, as well as experience the psychological stimulation of, a fully immersive 33,000sq. ft. video mapped piece. This juxtaposition, experienced within and around the gothic architectural structure of the Manhattan Bridge Anchorage will certainly be thought provoking and memorable.

The first impulse I had regarding the concepts “Codex Dynamic” were based on all the talk of the Mayan Calendar and all dire 2012 predictions.  I got to feeling a certain amount of anxiety and decided to spend some time thinking more about the situation.  What I came to realize is that technology is becoming the most influential force behind virtually every aspect of life (we experience) as human(s).  What used to be novel, as far as big changes go (the industrial revolution, radio, television, computers, etc.) has become the norm.  Change is the new standard and, just as the rate of ice-melt up north increases exponentially, so will our relationship to change, and thus, time.

But before I sound too alarmist, it’s important to point out that epochal change has happened many times in the history of the world, so there’s no reason to expect a break.  It’s yet another shift in the world’s evolution that, I guess, we’re lucky enough to be living through.

These thoughts were behind the conceptual context of “Codex Dynamic;” along with the idea of the existence of parallel realities.  When we were working with Dom Pérignon, I had a long discussion with their cellar-master Richard Geoffrey.  We discussed systems and conceptual placement decisions within a given system.   What came to light from both of our perspectives, was that whatever position you take, there is an opposing position, 180 degrees opposite, that exists to necessarily create balance.   And this idea somehow tied into a visualization of black holes and concepts related to the parallel universe discussion.