Daniel Hirschmann ran a really successful workshop last weekend on the 5th and 6th of June at the Digital Arts Division at Wits University.  The number of participants almost out weighed the amount of space we had available to us. A great boost for the art tech. scene in Johannesburg.

As a quick overview Dan Hirschmann taught the use of Arduino with a focus on programming for lighting and installation design. It was alot of good fun with most participants using the locally made Aarduino boards. Many of participants are members of the Hacksaws Art & Tech. group and if they weren’t members before they are members now. The workshop was facilitated by members of the Hacksaws group, Anton Coetzee, Dino Fizzotti and Tegan Bristow. It was fantastic to have Dan out from London to show us his work and share the vast amount of experience he has with us.

We are all looking forward to the great Arduino artworks, projects and products that will come out of this workshop.

Dan Hirschmann, Digital Arts, Wits, Johannesburg. Photo: Tegan Bristow

Joao, Dan, Alex and Mazwi: Photo Tegan Bristow

Taku and Jurgen. Photo: Tegan Bristow

Marike. Photo: Tegan Bristow

Hilton. Photo: Tegan Bristow

Laura Nova’s exhibition and workshops were great fun and a huge success at the Digital Arts School.

Her exhibition referencing her own encounters with love and the ‘almost dangerous’ participatory art approach of Fluxus; included an 8 meter sign flashing “he loves me / he loves me not” and a jumping platform from which visitors could launch them selves.

It also included documentation of work done with students in the creation of “un-useless objects”. Further documentation of some of these can be found on the student blogs:
Nathan Destro
Londiwe Langa
Wayne Reddiar

Laura Nova Exhibition.

Nathan Destro’s “Personal Space Protector”.

All photos by Christo Doherty