The Team
Melanie Baljko and Nell Tenhaaf teamed up in 2003 after Gillian Wu, former Dean of York University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, recognized their common interests. The Lo-fi project began to take shape in 2004 as Melanie and Nell started to meet regularly and clarify the crossovers in their work.
John Kamevaar also began to work with Nell in 2003, when he produced sound based on digitally-processed microphone feedback for the interactive sculpture Swell. He also composed the machinic “voices” for the double character sculpture Flo’nGlo. See: nelltenhaaf.ca
Nell’s collaborations with Kim Sawchuk began around 1990, and have included both critical and creative outputs. Electronics development for Lo-fi is the domain of Nick Stedman, who also made the electronics for Swell and Flo’nGlo.
Both undergraduate and graduate students have been crucial to the Lo-fi project. The undergrads have been electronic media, sculpture and computer science students, largely supported by the Research at York (RAY) program that was launched in early 2007. The graduate students have been from both Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and Visual Arts. Their Lo-fi work is integrated with their own research interests.
Collaborators:
Nell Tenhaaf
Department of Visual Art & Art History
Electronics Design:
Student Participants
Eng Chuen Chuah
Graduate of studio program in the Department of Visual Art & Art History.
Miki Rubin
Graduate of studio program in the Department of Visual Art & Art History.
Heather Phillips
Graduate of studio program in the Department of Visual Art & Art History.
Colaborators' Profile
Dr. Melanie Baljko, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, York University, Toronto, Canada. Her work in computer science began with an interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and computational linguistics. Recent work has focused on a number of inter-related areas including research into the potential application of computational models to assist those with extreme communicative disorders. Scientific director of Lo-fi: principal programmer (Java); scientific evaluation of the project; closely involved in building the sculpture.
John Kamevaar, independent sound artist, Trent Hills, Canada. Brings an aesthetic of non-musical sound to the project. Formed the experimental sound group Kaiser Nietzsche in the 1980s, and has performed for twenty years with the Toronto-based improvisation ensemble CCMC (1981-94 and 2012-present; currently Kamevaar, Michael Snow, John Oswald and Paul Dutton). Sound composer for the project; involved in design of the interaction.
Dr. Kim Sawchuk, Professor, Department of Communication Studies, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. Currently holds the Concordia University Research Chair in Mobile Media Studies and for six years was the editor of the Canadian Journal of Communications (www.cjc-online.ca). Co-editor of Wi: Journal of the Mobile Commons Network (www.wi-not.ca). Her research involves the close study of the relationship between embodiment, social practice and discourses on technology. Heading up the user assessment component for the Lo-fi project.
Nell Tenhaaf, Professor Emeritus, Department of Visual Art & Art History and Department of Computational Arts, York University; lives and works in Trent Hills, Canada. Has been working with computer-based media since the early 1980s. Her works in the 1980’s were a critique and appropriation of scientific representations of genetic engineering and biotechnology. She has since become implicated in artificial life (A-life) and created sculptures that bring human and electronic components into close contact. Artistic director of Lo-fi; Max/MSP programming.
Electronics Design:
Students' Profile
Eng Chuen Chuah, BFA honours 2007, Department of Visual Art & Art History,
York University.
Zev Farber, MFA in Visual Arts 2010, York University.
David Jacob, MSc 2007, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, York University.
Michael Kaftarian, MSc 2009, Computer Science and Engineering, York University.
Heather Phillips, BFA honours 2008, Department of Visual Art & Art History, York University.
Works in sculpture and photography.
Miki Rubin, BFA honours 2008, Department of Visual Art & Art History, York University.
Works in sculpture primarily.
Niknaz Tavakolian, MFA in Visual Arts 2008, York University.
Works in film, video and interactive media.