INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF DIGITAL CREATIVITY AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC 16TH EDITION MAY 27 - 31, 2015 ARTIST NAMES RELEASED FOR THE 2015 MUTEK A/VISIONS SERIES These signature audiovisual, interdisciplinary and multisensorial performances take place at Théâtre Maisonneuve in the Place des Arts A critical component of every MUTEK, these exclusive evening performances offer multisensorial intersections between technology and art, this year representing audiovisual works that meld extraordinary sights and immersive sound, interdisciplinary practices that merge with the corporeal, and interactive spectacle and modern composition that operates outside of convention and expectation. Taking place for the first time at the prestigious Théâtre Maisonneuve, MUTEK is pleased to welcome these extraordinary artists to the festival: A/VISIONS 1 (Friday, May 29 – 7:30pm): HIROAKI UMEDA presents HOLISTIC STRATA and SPLIT FLOW (JP) / MAOTIK & METAMETRIC present OMNIS (FR/CA) A/VISIONS 2 (Saturday, May 30 – 7:30pm): TYONDAI BRAXTON presents HIVE (US) / MARTIN MESSIER presents FIELD (CA) The monumental HIVE project presented by TYONDAI BRAXTON is part architectural installation and part ensemble. Previously performed at the Guggenheim, the Barbican and the Sydney Opera House, HIVE features five musicians playing atop specially designed hexagonal pedestals wired for light and sound. Braxton hails the project which is built around his first solo album in six years, HIVE1, as “a combination of expressive sound design, electronic music and acoustic live performance through the lens of modern music composition.” The former frontman for experimental rock band BATTLES, Braxton has since been honing his craft as a solo artist and composer and has been commissioned by the KRONOS QUARTET and collaborated with PHILIP GLASS. MUTEK is especially thrilled to be presenting the exclusive Canadian premiere of HIVE. Once again, MUTEK welcomes ingenious Montréal artist MARTIN MESSIER to the stage for the world premiere of Field. Created in collaboration with THOMAS PAYETTE (Robert Lepage/Ex Machina), this performance lays bare invisible and inaudible power flows using luminous cables arranged in a framework facing the audience. Messier’s body becomes a conduit, a part of the field, as he modulates the electric waves with his interventions and projections of his movements provide ghostly apparitions of his presence. A spokesperson for the 2nd edition of Montréal’s Digital Spring, Messier has this to say about his upcoming performance: “Back in 2008, MUTEK was one of the first festivals to present my work and I am particularly fond of the festival for that reason. I’ve been working on Field for a while now and having the opportunity to present the project as a world premiere within the scope of MUTEK at the Théâtre Maisonneuve is an honour. It may be the only time in my life that I will be performing in this magnificent venue and it offers the opportunity for me to take some risks as I am mixing sound, light and shadow effects.” In a new twist for the festival, dancer and choreographer HIROAKI UMEDA brings two pieces to MUTEK that fuse motion mapping, light design and synchronous soundtracking with dance: Holistic Strata, in which his body, projections and sound share the same pixel-like value on stage, as his human frame merges with screen frames; and Split Flow, a study in speed and stillness exploring more austere but increasingly dynamic interventions and interactions between light and movement. Recently presented in Europe and at the Digital Québec event at the BFI in London co-curated by MUTEK, Omnis is the new live A/V performance by visual artist MAOTIK and musician and composer METAMETRIC which takes its inspiration from the concept of ubiquity. Expect a sonic and visual assault as the duo use a generative visual system and multiple degrees of optical illusion to destabilize the environment and explode the idea of being everywhere at the same time. Tickets for A/VISIONS are now available through the Places des Arts box office: http://placedesarts.com/shows/event.en.html?event.id=16305 NEW ADDITIONS TO THE NOCTURNE PROGRAMS Lineups for MUTEK by night near completion! th There are only a few more spots to fill in and joining the opening night of the festival’s 16 edition on May 27, MUTEK welcomes Lithuanian producer TEN WALLS to a bill that also features JAMES HOLDEN in a headlining capacity. Bringing a classical and jazz background to his techno he has released music on Innervisions and was named Mixmag’s artist of year in 2014. Rounding out the Thursday night program at the MAC, local mainstay JESSE MORRISON’S minimal, cerebral, enveloping FAKE_ELECTRONICS warms up NOCTURNE 2, and ex-Californian, current Montréaler DEVON HANSEN debuts at MUTEK in the Salle BWR of the MAC during the Sunday NOCTURNE playing a live set under his dub leaning techno alias STEFAN JÓS — with still more to come for that night! The complete program including the free outdoor EXPÉRIENCE series, the late night experimental PLAY program, and the 175, ROY EST, MONTREAL (QC) H2W 1M3 T. (514) 871.8646 / [email protected] / MUTEK.ORG INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF DIGITAL CREATIVITY AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC 16TH EDITION MAY 27 - 31, 2015 entire compliment of free daytime MUTEK_LAB conferences and DIGI_SECTION workshops, showrooms, panels and artist Q&As at the Phi Centre will be unveiled April 28! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS MUTEK would like to thank the following partners who play a key role in MUTEK's ongoing activities: the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine of the ministère du Conseil exécutif du Québec, the ministère du Tourisme du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the Bureau des festivals et des événements culturels of the City of Montréal, the Department of Canadian Heritage, FACTOR and Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters, Musicaction, the ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, the ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie du Québec, the Consulat général de France à Québec, the Institut français, the Goethe-Institut, and Wallonie-Bruxelles International. MUTEK also wishes to thank the following media and private partners for their invaluable support: Solotech, Red Bull Music Academy, Tourisme Montréal, Mailchimp, Sapporo, Ubisoft, Moog Audio, Ableton, Roland, Mix Genius, Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, Place des Arts, Phi Centre, DHC/ART Foundation for Contemporary Art, CTM Festival, Musicboard Berlin, the Quartier des spectacles Partnership, Montréal Digital Spring, La Vitrine, SubPac, Resident Advisor, XLR8R, The Wire, FACT, Exclaim!, CRACK Magazine, MCD, HOLO Magazine, Mixcloud, Cult MTL, URBANIA, ETC MEDIA, CISM, Hotel ZERO1, Auberge Alternative du Vieux-Montréal, Hotel W, and Auberge Le Pomerol, Fitz & Follwell Co. CONNECT http://www.mutek.org/en/montreal/2015 https://www.facebook.com/events/1537559693162678/ PRESS KIT http://bit.ly/1L4xfHd http://www.mutek.org/en/montreal/2015/press/resources CONTACT Anne Dongois, 514-826-2050, [email protected] If you are a journalist and would like to cover MUTEK, please fill in the online media registration form here http://www.mutek.org/en/montreal/2015/press/accreditation 175, ROY EST, MONTREAL (QC) H2W 1M3 T. (514) 871.8646 / [email protected] / MUTEK.ORG