Biotricity is an innovative art and science collaboration project by Rasa Smite, Raitis Smits and Martins Ratniks together with sound artist and composer Voldemars Johansons and young biologists from the University of Latvia. Biotricity experiments with new generation “green energy” technologies and sonifies the process of generating electricity from bacteria living in water. The installation consists of a cell network altogether creating a “bacteria battery”. A part of the battery is aligned at the exhibition space in illuminated plastic containers whereas the other part operates remotely from a pond in Latvian rural area, which is streamed live on one of the monitors at the exhibition space, while another monitor displays microscopic images of the bacteria environment offering a limited insight into this invisible world. This “bacteria fuel” process is interpreted in sound structures providing an aesthetic perspective on the mutual relations between nature and technology, biologic systems and electronic networks.
Bio
Rasa Šmite (Latvia) and Raitis Šmits (Latvia) are artists and new media activists, founders of the E-LAB (1996), RIXC (2000) and the Art+Communication Festival in Riga, Latvia (1996). E-LAB/RIXC initiated pioneering streaming media network projects in the 1990s, such as the XCHANGE Net Radio Network, which received an Award of Distinction from the PRIX Ars Electronica in Linz (1998). RIXC’s projects include: Acoustic Space Lab (2001–03), Solar Radio Station (2006), and Universe Listening Station (2008). The group’s more recent projects focus on artistic investigations into the electromagnetic spectrum. Since 2009 RIXC has been working on a new network initiative in the Baltic-Nordic region that explores art and science collaborations in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability technologies. Since 2007 Rasa and Raitis are involved in setting up the New Media Art program and Art Research Laboratory (http://www.mplab.lv) at Liepaja University.
Mārtiņš Ratniks (Latvia) has since 1997 he has participated in activities at the Centre of Electronic Arts and Media E-LAB and net radio Ozone. He is an active member of RIXC – Centre for New Media Culture and since 1998 a member of the artist collective F5. Mārtiņš Ratniks mainly works with the moving image media, creating video and mixed media installations, as well as live audio-visual performances in cooperation with artist collective Clausthome.
Voldemars Johansons (Latvia) is an artist and composer. He works with audio/data in forms of composition, installation and performance. He studied at the Institute of Sonology in Hague and the Latvian Academy of Music.
