Artists Statement

May 27-July 23, Centre d’Art Cal Massó de Reus, Beep Collection: Origins. Public event.

VESTIBULAR_1 is an immersive audio-visual installation that invites the audience to wander inside a vestibular system structure. In specific, the installation induces illusory sensations of self-motion by temporarily disrupting the audience’s vestibular functioning via specific patterns and configurations of audio and light stimuli.

Any organism moving through its environment receives a constant stream of sensory signals about self-motion: optic flow inputs from vision, proprioceptive information about the position of the body from muscles, joints and tendons, and inputs for acceleration via the vestibular system. This latter seems particularly important for self-motion (Green & Angelaki, 2010).

Under normal circumstances, the brain optimally combines sensory signals for self-motion, which are successfully integrated to produce a coherent representation of the organism in the external environment. However, conflicts between sensory modalities may occur when sensory signals carry discrepant information. If the vestibular system is altered with conflicting sensory information, we easily realise that the usual way in which we perceive objects of human expression, such as visual forms, music, and art, does dramatically change (Gallagher, M., Dowsett, R., & Ferrè, E.R., 2019).

​The installation VESTIBULAR_1 is based on the innovative research from the VeME (Vestibular Multisensory Embodiment) Lab at Royal Holloway, University of London, which investigates the role played by vestibular signals in the perception and representation of the body and the external world and how it affects aesthetic preferences.

​Co-Producer: .BEEP { collection;} – NewArtFoundation.
Technology Partner: Protopixel
Technology Collaborators: Sfëar – Eurecat.
Silentsystem.
In collaboration with: Elisa Ferrè (Vestibular Multisensory Lab – Royal Holloway, University of London), https://vemerhul1.wixsite.com/vemerhul.

[Source: https://www.beepcollection.art/albert-barqu%C3%A9-duran-marc-marzenit]

• Albert Barqué-Duran, PhD (Lleida, Spain, 1989) is an artist and researcher. Lecturer in Creative Technologies and Digital Art at University of Lleida and Honorary Research Fellow at City, University of London. Albert earned his PhD and Postdoc in Cognitive Science from City, University of London and has been a Visiting Postgraduate Researcher at Harvard University and University of Oxford. His artwork and performances are inspired by his research and combine new media art techniques, A.I., computational creativity, data, experimental electronic music, and classical fine art methods, oil painting, sculpture, to reflect on universal topics, knowledge, digital culture, futures. He leads disruptive projects at the intersection of art, science and technology with the aims of: finding novel formats of generating artistic and scientific knowledge; Reflecting about contemporary and futuristic issues and its cultural implications; Creating powerful experiences to push the boundaries of human perception. Considered 1 of the 64 “Culture Activists” in Europe during 2019 by We Are Europe, and internationally awarded by the “Re:Humanism Prize”, the “We Are Equals – MUTEK Music Academy”, the “Art of Neuroscience Award”, and the “International Award City of Lleida”, Albert has exhibited and performed at Sónar+D, Barcelona, Ars Electronica, Linz, ZKM (Karlsruhe, Creative Reactions, London, Cricoteka, Krakow, Albumarte, Rome, SciArt Center New York, IGNITE Fest, Medellín, Mobile World Congress, Barcelona and Ming Contemporary Art Museum, Shanghai, among others.
  https://albertbarque.com https://www.instagram.com/albertbarque https://twitter.com/AlbertBarque
  [Source: https://www.beepcollection.art/albert-barqu%C3%A9-duran-marc-marzenit]
• Marc Marzenit (Barcelona, Spain, 1983) is an audio engineer, composer, music producer and Dj with many years of experience touring the world. He performed in places like London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, Canada or Asia, just to name a few. Besides his profile as underground musician, he also created shows like “Suite on Clouds”, a 3D mapping show with 8 violinists, 1 harp, symphonic percussion, synthesizers and a grand piano. These projects draw on his classical background and show his integrated vision of electronic music: combining acoustic, analogue and digital instruments together in the same show. He is currently a Lecturer in “Music and Sound for Interactive Experiences” at ENTI- Universitat de Barcelona; and the Founder of Aulart.
  https://www.instagram.com/marcmarzenit https://twitter.com/marcmarzenit
  [Source: https://www.beepcollection.art/albert-barqu%C3%A9-duran-marc-marzenit]