free103point9 presents On The Air, a four-day series of transmission performances at White Box as part of WHITE NOISE for PERFORMA05. On The Air suggests an architecture, in-motion, for the reception of polyphonic radio signals in transmission-based performance. Four FM transmitters distribute four distinct “channels” of sound to portable radios suspended from clusters of helium-filled balloons throughout the gallery space. The radios are set in motion by fans causing the signals to at once surround and abandon the listener. For WHITE NOISE on the occasion of PERFORMA05 members of free103point9’s Transmission Artists have conceived of independent projects that inhabit and disrupt this sonic construction.

On The Air begins with a live Radio 4x4 event: an improvisational performance where four artists each perform into an individual transmitters; the audience’s location in tandem with the balloons’ determine the final mix of the collaboration. Audio ephemera from Radio 4x4 is installed throughout the project duration.

Each day will feature interventions from participating artists including 31 Down, Alexis Bhagat, Matt Bua, Damian Catera, The Dust Dive, Joshua Fried, Tianna Kennedy, LoVid, Matt Mikas, Michelle Nagai, Ben Owen, Radio Ruido, and Tom Roe. 

Schedule and Performance Descriptions

Wednesday November 2, 2005
11:15 am - 12 pm: Radio 4x4: Tianna Kennedy, Matt Mikas, Ben Owen, Tom Roe
12:30 pm - 1 pm: Michelle Nagai Ring
Michelle Nagai presents variations on Ring. How do the relationships between sounding, listening, moving, observing and stillness float around one another in the context of a transmission bubble? The physical layout of the playing space, the weather, the presence of other signal interference and the location and strength of the transmitters all impact how this work evolves sonically, which in turn affects movement, which in turn affects sound, which in turn affects movement, which in turn...
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm: 31 Down Rita, Katrina and Stan
31 Down presents an installation radio theater performance attuned to weather, heartache, and the destruction in between.
5 pm - 5:45 pm: Tianna Kennedy and friends heat
A collaborative extemporaneous mix promising to belly, bloat, bounce, bulge, heave, pitch, puff, ripple, rise, rock, roll, swell, toss, undulate, wave, and sigh.

Thursday November 3, 2005
12:30 pm - 1 pm: Michelle Nagai Ring
Michelle Nagai presents variations on Ring. How do the relationships between sounding, listening, moving, observing, and stillness float around one another in the context of a transmission bubble? The physical layout of the playing space, the weather, the presence of other signal interference, and the location and strength of the transmitters all impact how this work evolves sonically, which in turn affects movement, which in turn affects sound, which in turn affects movement, which in turn...
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm: Tom Roe War of the War of the Worlds
Roe plays along with the Orson Welles radio broadcast War of the Worlds, updating the hysteria-causing performance with radio samples from reporting on current wars.
3 pm - 3:45 pm: Alexis Bhagat Everybody Says...
Everybody says the same bullshit in all lands and through all ages is a study in accord and babble, comprised of four voices transmitted through the Radio 4x4. The four speak of distinct and separate topics, but each periodically happen to say exactly the same thing at the same time, quickly flashing from discordant babble to clear accord. Performed by Alexis Bhagat, Julie Cummings-Crocomo and Raquel Vogl.
5 pm - 5:45 pm: Ben Owen Dry Garden
Interested in the theme of organic instability and decay, Owen's practice continues to explore these ideas as relating to listening, response, and performance. Here, two broadcast channels are a looping exercise in frequencies sent and received, and two channels transmit amplified room and object experiments.

Friday November 4, 2005
12:30 pm - 1 pm: Michelle Nagai Ring
Michelle Nagai presents variations on Ring. How do the relationships between sounding, listening, moving, observing, and stillness float around one another in the context of a transmission bubble? The physical layout of the playing space, the weather, the presence of other signal interference, and the location and strength of the transmitters all impact how this work evolves sonically, which in turn affects movement, which in turn affects sound, which in turn affects movement, which in turn...
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm: Matt Mikas Divination #10
Divination #10 is a random function of Mikas's current project, Semi-Automatic Oracle. Sound bites culled from numerous spoken-word LPs are recombined by chance to form a subliminal narrative that speaks to the search for meaning amid the irrational.
5:15 pm - 6 pm: Damian Catera deComposition NYC v.5....
Catera will sample and mangle the airwaves of NYC and send them flying up up and away on some beautiful balloons.
6:45 pm - 7:30 pm: LoVid Sync Armonica
LoVid will premier Sync Armonica, a sculptural modular analog audio/video synthesizer. Working with the constraints/freedoms and fragility/fundamentality of analog technology LoVid’s objects and videos are conceived as codes from a parallel civilization where media is tangible and emotional. This synthesizer was created during a residency at Eyebeam with additional support from the Experimental TV Center’s Finishing Funds, supported by the New York State Council on the Arts and media The foundation. We would also like to thank Sherry Hocking, Dan Sandin, Dave Jones, Matthew Schlanger, Julie Porter, Ray Wilson, Douglas Repetto, Rafael Cohen, and Stanley Ruiz for advice and assistance, suggestions and schematics.

Saturday November 5, 2005
12:30 pm - 1 pm: Michelle Nagai Ring
Michelle Nagai presents variations on Ring. How do the relationships between sounding, listening, moving, observing, and stillness float around one another in the context of a transmission bubble? The physical layout of the playing space, the weather, the presence of other signal interference, and the location and strength of the transmitters all impact how this work evolves sonically, which in turn affects movement, which in turn affects sound, which in turn affects movement, which in turn...
2 pm - 2:45 pm: Joshua Fried Radio Wonderland
Old shoes, a real steering wheel (from a Buick 6), and a laptop turn live commercial FM into recombinant beats and grooves.
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm: Radio Ruido
Presenting the gallery space as an instrument of intervention: search ( black box ) / insideoutsidein / traffiker / contact.
5 pm - 5:45 pm: Matt Bua
Matt Bua will assemble a collection of four of his Suitcases, each having their own unique characteristics, each will have their output connected to one of the four transmitters. By a little finessing and arm-twisting the units will work up steam and operate at their maximum capacity blanketing the White Box with a poly-blend, almost warm hiss. Some of the suitcase innard ingredients include game call technologies, automated kitchen sink tools, circuit bent multiples and scrappy little motors scratching on mini-mixed contact mics. Audience call-ins will be welcomed during the performance.
7 pm - 7:45 pm: The Dust Dive
For PERFORMA05, the Dust Dive will provide a melodic soundtrack infused with lonely and atmosperic ham radio transmissions, new projected video footage, and a proscenium inspired by neglected corners of America.

CLOSING RECEPTION: Saturday November 5th 7-9 pm

WHITE NOISE
Presented by White Box for PERFORMA05
This exhibition is generously supported by The Greenwall Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, the Experimental Television Center's Presentation Funds Program and White Box Members. White Box has received additional funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

WHITE NOISE is presented as part of PERFORMA 05, the first biennial of new visual art performance in New York City, which will take place from November 3 through November 21, 2005. Over the course of three weeks under the artistic direction of RoseLee Goldberg, more than 20 venues will present a multidisciplinary program of live visual art performances, film screenings, lectures and exhibitions. PERFORMA05 is organized by PERFORMA, a non-profit organization committed to new visual art performance from around the world. More information is available at www.performa-arts.org

WHITE BOX's mission is to show diverse contemporary art in the context of socially relevant issues and to present images and ideas that matter to the larger audiences. White Box, a non-profit organization located in the heart of the Chelsea art district in New York, fosters the creation of new art by emerging talent as well as that of mid career and underrepresented artists shown in an annual, diversity-based international programs organized by outstanding guest curators and scholars from around the world.

FREE103POINT9 is a nonprofit arts organization focused on establishing and cultivating the genre Transmission Arts by promoting artists who explore ideas around transmission as a medium for creative expression. Founded in 1997 as a microcasting artist collective, free103point9's goals during the formative years were focused the microradio movement's fight for public access to the airwaves. free103's mobile operations made airtime available to community voices, local bands, and most significantly to a group of under-served artists shaping conceptual works specifically for radio transmission.