Our work never ends – old projects (Quintet.net, MaxScore, Macaque, Hexenkessel etc.) continue to lead full and vibrant lives, are being constantly upgraded, maintained and expanded, provide a stable platform for new composers/researchers and are always a source of inspiration, guiding us ever forward.
Thanks to the emerging of new sensors (Myo bracelets, Kinect 2 cameras, Leap Motion etc.) and new technologies, exciting new opportunities are arising for these to be put to the test in artistic practices.
Researchers such as Nora-Louise Müller are constantly working on discovering and classifying new playing techniques. The modern miracle of a computer allows us to let ourselves loose from the chains of physical world, explore the imaginary landscapes of virtual reality and surf the never-before-seen oceans of sound, free to divide any interval we wish into as many parts we like and shape the spectral images with the joys of pure creation.
We would like to quote the final paragraph from, what is by now become a de facto handbook on artistic research, a book titled “Artistic Research. Theories, Methods and Practices” by Mika Hannula et al.:
“The critical attitude concerning the basis of such activity and, simultaneously, the unconcern in regards to the end result are central features in artistic and all other research where something new is created. Artistic research must be given space and time to breathe and to develop, and this requires self-protection and self-definition. One must be able – even by bending the rules – to find or create courage for experimentation, for taking risks and, above all, for enjoying the uncertainties, detours and failures of research.”[1]
The constant support and constructive criticism of the entire faculty of our department in all our projects, big and small, help us achieve just that – we are free to take risks, we are encouraged to experiment, to test the limits of technology and ourselves, to reflect on our work and take our own steps on the road of artistic research.
[1] Mika Hannula, Juha Suoranta, Tere Vadén: “Artistic Research. Theories, Methods and Practices”, Gothenburg 2005.