The Multimedia Thesaurus (MMT) – 2002 becoming
Interactive Multimedia Playroom (IMP) - 2005
+
Network
of Exploratory Spaces for temporal Arts Research (NESTAR) 2008
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IMP-NESTAR
These
projects grew out of my desire to develop a more refined descriptive vocabulary
for music, and a perceived need for more adequate terminology for discussing
sound in multimedia contexts, especially among potential collaborators who may
not have an intimate knowledge of music jargon. The initial project was first
presented in conceptual form at the ESCOM conference in 2003; the first
prototype of the IMP was inaugurated at the Concordia Hexagram facilities in
October 2005. The projects received initial funding from Hexagram and CIAM; subsequently a small but
very helpful support from Canada’s federal granting agency Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council (SSHRC). We are
currently applying for EU support to set up a base in Madrid.
IMP-NESTAR consists of a several
physical installations in different environments (labs, school, science centre,
film festival) which we hope to connect soon by virtual means and a
loosely-knit but growing team of researchers, artists and collaborators in
various disciplines (music, psychology, theatre, sculpture, film, translation,
gaming, communication, software development, etc) and countries (Canada, USA,
Portugal, Spain, England, France, Norway, New Zealand, etc).
Each installation is a platform
for exploring the effects of sound on image, and vice versa, and the
terminology that might be appropriate for describing and classifying them. As
people an encouraged to explore in groups, the project also stimulates
discussion and promotes better understanding of the variety of
perspectives/perceptions and word usage.
further information can be found
on the website (still under construction):