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Hacking the X-Box for the sake of Art

Young people hack X-Box in the name of Art

A new visual arts installation created by young people hacking the X-Box Kinect premieres at BRASS: Durham International Festival

Young people who hack the latest gaming technology in the Microsoft X-Box to make art have exhibited their work at a major North East festival as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

While trumpets and trombones ring out at BRASS, Durham’s annual festival celebrating that musical genre, members of the public have accidentally been making music simply by triggering computer software that plays a tune with interactive brass instruments.

The audio-visual art installation is next to Durham’s Gala Theatre and is designed to allow the public to interact with it and make music through movement.

It’s the work of Trigger Shift – an innovative digital arts project based in Newcastle upon Tyne – that is teaching young people how to legally hack the X-Box Kinect software for creative and artistic purposes.

The installation at Millennium Place was commissioned by Durham County Council, organisers of BRASS, and has been produced by Trigger Shift, a partnership between some of the most experienced professionals in the field of digital arts and young people from the North East.

Its slogan is “Beyond Gaming you decide what is possible.“

Digital Artist and Director Tom Higham is project leader for Trigger Shift. He says: “We believe that consumer technology can be used for creating and not just consuming. That’s why we’ve taken a games console that lots of young people already own and worked with young people to create audio and visual arts performances.”

How does it work?

Click here to find out how the software works. Trigger Shift mentor and audio visual artist Tom Schofield explains how physical movements create sound and image using the Kinect software.

Is this all just in the name of Art?

The project is part of this year’s Cultural Olympiad, otherwise called the London 2012 Festival, a national celebration of culture featuring more than 12,000 performances across Britain.

The project has attracted funding from NE-Generation, the Legacy Trust UK programme for the North East; creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK.

It is one of 15 youth arts projects receiving funding to deliver commissions, events and public exhibitions in North East England as part of the Cultural Olympiad. The projects are diverse, ranging from youth circus to a derelict police station being transformed into an art gallery.

The team have also been working on a performance version based on movements of young dancers from County Durham based Tin Arts. The dancers have been working with and refining the system by choreographing dances in pairs.

Watch the dancers rehearsing and creating the work here

‘Trigger Shift’ runs at The Gala Theatre, Durham City, from July 6-22, from 10am to 10pm, Friday to Sunday, and is free to view.

Performances take place Saturday 7thJuly 2pm – 4pm (free) and Friday 20thJuly from 3pm – 5pm (contact the festival to book).

For more information log onto: www.brassfestival.co.uk

For more about NE-Generation and the Cultural Olympiad in North East England, visit: www.ne-generation.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matthew Moore .