Mañana arranca TodaysArt 08, un festival dedicado a la música, el arte y la tecnología que cada año transforma por un par de días la ciudad holandesa de La Haya, que justamente desde hace un año acoge al que escribe esto. Este año el festival coincide con unos dias de bastante lio y me temo que no podré asistir al incesante número de eventos que componen la programación del festival, que tiene lugar en clubes, templos, centros culturales, cines, plazas, estaciones y en las calles de la ciudad. Aunque aprovechando que mediateletipos asiste como medio acreditado y que la ciudad no es demasiado grande, pues visitaré (e informare por aquí de lo más destacable) algunas de las instalaciones y performances más interesantes a priori, comenzando con el evento inaugural, que será un concierto llamado ‘Station to Sation’, a cargo de Staalplaat Soundsystem junto a Erik hobijn y Mike Rijnierse, que tendrá lugar en la principal estación de la ciudad y en el que el sonido de los trenes y la acústica de este espacio intervendrán en la composición.

Recordamos este video de la edición del año pasado, en el que se aprecia un tanto malamente el trabajo Pilot, de Onno Poiesz, que fue una de las principales ‘atracciones’ del festival. Se trataba de una instalación eminéntemente sonora situada en la calle más centrica de la ciudad, que se convirtió por un par de días en una pista de aterrizaje ‘virtual’ gracias a unos potentes clusters de luces y altavoces repartidos a lo largo de la misma, y donde a cada rato aterrizaba un avión estruendósamente, para goce y sorpresa de los que por alli pasaban.

http://www.todaysart.nl/2008/

Every year, for one weekend, the TodaysArt Festival transforms the city centre of The Hague into an inspiring stronghold of creativity and audiovisual experiences. This year, over 200 artists will contribute to the festival, where many different art disciplines are represented, such as film, modern dance, visual art, photography and music. The fourth edition of the TodaysArt Festival will take place on the 26th and 27th of September, at 20 in- and outdoor locations. The title of the festival is Blue Light District, referring to the trademark blue artwork of the festival.

For the first time in TodaysArt-history, the Dr. Anton Philipszaal will be a part of the festival terrain next to annual venuas such as the Paard van Troje, De Nieuwe Kerk, Theater ah Spui and the Atrium (city hall). 1.890 Chairs will be removed to make this impressive concert hall fit for a large amount of festival visitors.

The Blue Light District, is the name of the festival area, in which a variety of art projects and installations are presented in interaction or confrontation with the urban infrastructure and architectural spaces. Consequently, there is the opening concert Station to Station from Staalplaat Soundsystem, Erik Hobijn en Mike Rijnierse, including trains as musical instruments and using the environmental sounds to create a sound composition. Even the thousands of bicycles in front of the station will be integrated in this sound piece. In addition there are several project anchored around the spectrum of artificial light producing stunning visual effects at various locations around the festival terrain. Many of the festivals activities take place in the public space where we created an infrastructure of large transparent greenhouses sheltering temporary galleries, project spaces, bars and restaurants.

Another highlight is the presence of State of Sabotage, an internationally recognized micronation in the city hall of The Hague. 1,000 official passports will be printed for visitors who bring a photograph. Also LAb[au], the meta designers from Brussels that transformed the Dexia tower in Brussels into an interactive canvas, will be presenting several special projects, including EOD02. An installation containing fishes that communicate with electrical signals, which are collected and transmitted into sound.

MUSIC: 2562, !!! (CHK CHK CHK), Andrea Sartori, Andy Stott, Aquanauts (Underground Resistance), Ben Frost, Bertin, Borko, Byetone (Raster Noton), Charly & Gallus, Chic Miniature, Claro Intelecto, Deadbeat, Elitechnique, FrikK & RäT, Frivolous, Geazah, God Is an Astronaut, Huoratron, Kassen, Kettel, Kornreiniger, Legowelt & Orgue Electronique, Lindstrøm, Loud-E, Maartez & Drummer, Mad EP, Mark Boombastik, MLZ, DJ Moodswinger, NiCad, Not Happy Jan, Nouvelle Vague, Numuw, O Tannenbaum DJ’s, Paulo Sossa, Pawel Blot, Pendle Coven, Piece of Shh…, Pier Bucci, Poni Hoax, Prins Thomas, Rene SG, SCLE, Seabear, DJ Serge, Thesis, Thomas Ankersmit, DJ TLR

SHOWCASES: <>TAG / Sous-veillance, Alex Schaub + crew / Molecular Kitchen, Antilounge, ArtScience (Royal Academy Of Art), Bright, Bunker / Crème Organization, Cinedans, Club Zonder Filter, Dag In De Branding, Dis_Patch, Haagse Skate Unie, Hardcore, Mochi (restaurant), Modern Love, Mutek, Nemo, Olé Records, PIP, Red Bull Music Academy, V2_, Villa Nuts / Interactive Playground.

DANCE: Brenda Angiel Aerial Dance Company / Air Condition, Chunky Move / Glow, Cinedans / Screenings, Compagnie Retouramont / Réflexion de Façade & Vide Accordé, Crosstown Den Haag / Bugsss! & Trapped , T.R.A.S.H. / ísa.

ART: ArtScience Interfaculty / Hitchhiking, Bram Vreven / Vloei Flow I, II and III, Channa Boon / Limpiar el Museo, Daan Brinkmann / Lines, Di Mainstone & V2_ / Sharewear, Dick Raaijmakers / Grafische Methode Fiets, Godspill / Like Any Religion You Need Salvation and We Need Your Cash!, Influenza (Jeroen Jongeleen) / A Little Movement, Jiacong Jay Yan / We Only Come Out At Night, LAb[au] / EOD02 (with Frederik de Wilde), Pixflow#2 & 16n f555, Liefhertje & De Grote Witte Reus / Next Station: Paradise, LUST / Blue Light District, LUST / TodaysArt Flare, Miss Hecker, Pablo Valbuena / Augmented Space, Pictoplasma / Character Collision Army & Characters in Motion, Raster Noton / White Line, Ryoichi Kurokawa / Parallel Head, Sebastien Wierinck / Entuber La Haye, SOS / State Of Sabotage, Staalplaat Soundsystem + Mike Rijnierse / Station to Station, Xavier van Wersch & Thijs Scheele / Fruit Power.