Following the huge success of visual music festival Optronica, in 2005, the British Film Institute (BFI) have once again joined forces with audiovisual artists and producers, Addictive TV and new-media curators Cinefeel, to present what promises to be one of the most dynamic and innovative music events of 2007.
Presented as part of the PlayStation Season, the hybrid music and film festival will take place from March 14th-18th 2007 at the BFI IMAX cinema and the newly renovated National Film Theatre complex, which re-opens as BFI Southbank, early next year. "Digital technologies have profoundly altered the way we produce and consume music and moving images. As the equipment becomes increasingly sophisticated and available, we are experiencing an explosion in personal expression." says Anthony Minghella, BFI Chair. "As part of the Sony PlayStation Season, Optronica is a colourful and vibrant celebration of this outpouring."
Brain-child of Addictive TV, Optronica explores the fusion of music and visuals and will feature live audiovisual performances, screenings, talks, workshops and related special presentations. "Over the years we’ve witnessed the scene developing rapidly, right across the world, with lots of artists from very different backgrounds all exploring the visual music genre. The global explosion of new visuals-oriented festivals also shows that there’s a real appetite for this new art form. Optronica is the perfect and much needed platform in the UK." says Graham Daniels of Addictive TV, who have been at the forefront of visual-music and VJing for over a decade.
The 2007 line-up will be as exciting and eclectic as the first year with a whole host of respected and well known film-makers, music acts and audiovisual artists all exploring different aspects of audio / visual fusion and showing how today the long tradition of visual-music has expanded to include a wide range of styles and practices.
Confirmed performances at BFI IMAX are the world premières of new shows from ground-breaking artists such as graphic designer and musician Trevor Jackson, Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly and design group Airside. They’ll also be a special collaboration between Austrian electronic music pioneer Christian Fennesz and renowned New York video artist Charles Atlas. At BFI Southbank, Optronica will welcome, for the first time in the UK, acclaimed Japanese audiovisual artist Ryoichi Kurokawa and the innovative Spanish group Reactable, who recently stunned audiences at Sonar. There will also be new shows from leading British audiovisual acts Semiconductor, Vitascope and Ultre + Flat E.
With cinema screenings at the BFI Southbank (curated from hundreds of submissions from all over the globe) expert talks on both the history of visual music and synaesthesia, installations to play with, plus an audiovisual club night at London’s ICA, Optronica will deliver an incredible selection of aural and visual treats for both connoisseurs and newcomers alike.
For regular updates please check: www.optronica.org and www.myspace.com/optronica