On September 25, 2009, people gathered in The Electronic Gallery at Salisbury University. In the gallery, two large sheets of paper had been tapped on the floor. Each sheet was divided into 4 horizontal sections.

As we sat on the floor, I explained that we were about to stage the world’s first Vernacular Alien World Drawing Championship.

I began by talking about the choice of aliens. Although most people would not say they have seen an alien, we all know what they look like. We may even have drawn one before. As an example, I image-searched Google for “aliens.”

I also explained that although we know what aliens look like, we don’t have examples of “vernacular aliens.” We then looked at a Google for “vernacular aliens.” At the time, it resulted only with images announcing the Vernacular Alien World Drawing Championship and other MTAA works.

I explained that they would be working together on two vernacular alien images using a modified exquisite corpse drawing method / game. We then looked at a few examples of exquisite corpses.

I promised them that they could make better “vernacular aliens” than some of the exquisite corpse examples. I told them that in the future, when people Googled “vernacular aliens,” their work would be seen.

The Vernacular Aliens Drawing Method



I divided the room into two teams (Team M.River and Team T.Whid) and selected 3 judges. I selected 2 team captions and had a coin toss to see which team would draw first. Team M.River won the toss and deferred to T.Whid. I explained that the team would need to self-organize into head, shoulders, knees and toes drawing groups and that they would have until the end of one song to complete their Vernacular Alien. I tossed 10 black Sharpies markers down on the paper and hit play on a YouTube video for David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”.

Team M.River was up next with the same song playing.

After Team M.River finished, we then went to the bonus round. I read a list of ten things a Vernacular Alien might have or see in Salisbury, Maryland (UFO, phaser, death ray, robot dog sidekick, sammy the seagull, the moon, satellites, pizza, salty snacks, the duck decoy museum, and a walkie-talkie). Both teams had one song to fill in the background with these items. I divided the markers (5 per team) and hit play on the YouTube video for Klaatu’s “Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft.”

After that, we hung up the drawings.



The judging round began with an open pro and con town hall-style review. We then had a vote by show of hands. Team M.River took it with a decisive 3-0 win.

We all clapped and cheered and then ate pizza.



Every so often, someone would ask what would become of the drawings. I said they would get mailed back to NYC where they would sit in the bottom of a flat file waiting some further use. The images of the drawings and the performance on the other hand will go onto the net and become the objects that define Vernacular Aliens.

More Vernacular Aliens images:
M.River’s Vernacular Aliens Flickr set
Jennifer Poe’s Vernacular Aliens Flickr set

Big MTAA thanks to Preston, Jennifer, Mieke, Dick and the students of Salisbury University. permanent link to this post

Vernacular Alien World Drawing Championship, Maryland

M.River posted photos from our (using ‘our’ loosely as M.River conducted this one on his own) participatory performance coinciding with our show 2Live at The Electronic Gallery at Salisbury University, MD.

Check ‘em out…

Also, lots more at Jennifer Poe’s Flickr set as well. permanent link to this post

IPDC Flicker Set
…more documentation soon.

Update
Here are 2 short quicktime clips
Teck Si-Fi Jam
Pet Sounds
permanent link to this post

View IPDC at McCarren Park , Brooklyn in a larger map

World’s First, Possibly Only and Probably Last iPhone Drum Circle (aka IPDC) is on for Sunday (2-3pm). Still need an app? Here’s a few cheap or free ones…

Bongo - Bongo
Drum - Kit - Lite
80’s Drummer
Pocket - Shaker

Kai showed me the Shaker App today. Comes with “Gong” and “Cow Bell.” Needless to say…Awesome. permanent link to this post

a J.Crew ad…

Should have pictured him with his fly open at least, wouldn’t you agree? permanent link to this post

OTO and Conflux 09 are proud to present MTAA + Mike Koller’s World’s First, Possibly Only and Probably Last iPhone Drum Circle (aka IPDC)

Who: MTAA in collaboration with Mike Koller and anyone with an iPhone and a drum or bongo application.
What: a 1-hour iPhone drum circle in a park.
Where: McCarren Park, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (Driggs and union near Green Dome Garden).
When: September 20, 2009 from 2 to 3pm
Why: it is an idea that needs to be attempted at least once.

more info at tinjail/ipdc

Rain location at OTO - 60 North 6th Street 2nd floor permanent link to this post

2live installation shot: "Want v3" and "(LOVE + HATE) x 100"

We have a solo show up right now. It’s in Salisbury, MD so you won’t see it. But it looks awesome!

…only have this one install shot thus far, more to come soon we hope.

More info on the show at this post… permanent link to this post

Camera/Chimera
Gallery Aferro in Newark, NJ
Saturday, September 12 - October 3, 2009
Curated by Ethan Ham
opening reception September 12, 2009 7-10pm

Camera/Chimera is a series of photographs, each by a different artist. The artists are asked to replicate the previous artist’s photograph. The result is a visual game of “Telephone” in which the image slowly (and sometimes abruptly) mutates through the process of recreation.

Artists: Becca Albee, Holly Andres, Patterson Beckwith, Chase Browder, xtine burrough, Cassandra C. Jones, Adrianne Davis, Stephanie Dean, Dennis Delgado, Joel Fisher, Harrell Fletcher, Joy Garnett, Greta Ham, Tim Hutchings, Steve Lambert, Gus Meisner, Robin Michals, Hajoe Moderegger, MTAA, Shani Peters, Anne Schiffer, Christian Marc Schmidt, Tom Thayer, Mariana Tres, Angie Waller



Conflux City 2009
McCarren Park, Brooklyn, NY
Sunday, September 20, 2009 2-3pm

OTO, MTAA, Mike Koller and Conflux 09 present the World’s First, Possibly Only and Probably Last iPhone Drum Circle (aka IPDC)



2live
MTAA solo show at The Electronic Gallery at Salisbury University
September 08 to Oct 23, 2009
live performance Friday, September 25, 2009

Since 2005, the Brooklyn-based artist duo MTAA (Michael Sarff and Tim Whidden) have produced a series of dual video self-portraits. Salisbury University Electronic Galley will show these pieces together for the first time. Additionally, a new piece, produced at Salisbury University, will be shown. In these often humorous performances of conflict and communication, MTAA use their images as avatars for the vast chatter of our current media society. Along with the exhibition of the dual portraits, MTAA will return to the Electronic Galley on September 25, 2009 for a live performance/lecture having something to do with vernacular aliens. permanent link to this post