Following on from April's Kuebiko seminar, the next Pixelversity event brought together two of Southern Finland's collectives which experiment with electronics and new approaches to physical technology and hardware, namely Association of Experimental Electronics (Koelse) and Kodinkonemusiikin ystävät(Kokomys).
While the Artist in the Archipalego Network organised a workshop weekend for selected artists to make their own Kuebiko (see description below), Koelse & Kokomys joined together on their own agenda, set by their own projects. They created a temporary outdoor electronics lab, exploring self-generating and renewable energy sources, such as solar or human-powered cranks.
The weekend gave a chance for the two groups - who share overlapping interests - to discuss and explore convergences, as well makes some future plans.
Over a sunny May weekend on Kemiönsaari, the outdoor electronics lab was set up in the yard of Kimito-proto-dojo house, and we operated to Southern European style- schedule of late lunches, late dinners and late nights. Usual/special features included the first countryside travel for many this year, Friday+Saturday sauna, locally foraged pesto's, and a welcoming Sähkö baari club-night. Intensive social and silicon bonding took place day and night.
As part of the learning, Kokomys brought along one of their new members, and Koelse made an open call for an apprentice (kisälli a.k.a. oppipoika/tyttö). Sara Milazzo was selected by Koesle from this open call and joined the gathering.
Participants: Tuomo Tammenpää, Niko Punin, Sari Kippilä, Mikko Laajola, Antti Ahonen, Tomi Flinck, Olli Suorlahti (Olegtron), Ami Elovirta (Skatronix), Jukka Hautamäki, Harri Vähänissi, Markku Nousiainen,Sara Milazzo, Andrew Gryf Paterson.
Kuebiko refers to the scarecrow and weather vane (suomeksi: linnunpelätin ja tuuliviiri) built last year by Artists in the Archipalego collective. They borrowed its name from Japanese Shinto culture and it stands for a spirit of knowledge in the form of a scarecrow. "Because he stands all day outdoors, he knows everything". Being two-faced, he sees everywhere.
