Emery C. Martin

A new programming/performance, tentatively called *nix Genealogy, was part of the “1969″ show curated by Vincent Ramos, on  December 5, 2009, at Dan Graham.  “’1969′ is a show of performance-based works that respond to the key events of 1969 and/or uses them as a catalyst for commenting on our current state of affairs in this country and abroad.”

*nix Genealogy, is a performance by a Dell Mini 9 “hackintosh” laptop computer, that recites the genealogy of the operating system it is currently running, using language typically of Old Testament Biblical genealogies.  It starts in 1969, with UNICS, from AT&T Bell Labs, and traces it all the way to Mac OS X 10.6.1 Snow Leopard, which the machine is running.  The script is written and fed into a program written in Processing that is then translated into speech using the RiTA text to speech library, Java TTS, and Mac TTS.  This is the first iteration of the project. Below is short clip of the performance.

The “1969″ show was done in tandem with “The Sharon Show,” which consisted of object based work, “…that give an aesthetic nod to that period while still remaining firmly fixed in today’s society.” Below is the roster of the artists that participated in both shows.

“1969″ Artists

Danielle Adair
Audrey Chan
Jason Kunke
Elana Mann
Emery Martin
Women Vs Children

“The Sharon Show” Artists

Jeff Brady
Chris Ellis
Kelly Kleinschrodt
LauraLee Pope
Tracy Powell
Carly Steward
David Weldzius
Rosha Yaghmai

I took part in the recent ETERNAL TELETHON, with Audrey J. Chan, on November 1st, 2009. We did a performance roughly called, War and Peace. We went back and forth in a percussive dialog, with Audrey tap dancing as Peace and me playing a parred down drum kit as War.  Documentation will be coming soon.

The ETERNAL TELETHON is a series of webcasts dedicated to raising money for the Eternal Convalescent Home for Retired Artists (E.C.H.R.A.), a sanctuary for fatigued creatives that will be located on the Salton Sea.  The ETERNAL TELETHON series is run by John Burtle, Akina Cox, and Niko Solorio. For more information on the ETERNAL TELETHON please visit http://www.eternaltelethon.com/

The Neighborhood Network Watch got back into action, when it participated in “A Day in LA: Washington Blvd Art Concert” that took place on October 11th, 2009.  “A Day in LA” consisted of art works, interventions, and performances by artists along the 27 mile stretch of Washington Blvd that runs from Whittier to Venice.  The Neighborhood Network Watch’s Los Angeles Network Identification and Collection Division (NICD) performed a warwalk in the suburbs surrounding the First Fundamental Bible Church (FFBC) in Whittier.  The performers included, Audrey J. Chan (documentation), Emery C. Martin aka J.R. Jones (group leader), and Matthew Muro (local NICD member). In addition a wardrive was also conducted from Whittier to Mid-City.

To see some of the early documentation please visit: http://washblvd.blogspot.com/2009/10/nnw-la-network-identification-and.html and http://washblvd.blogspot.com/2009/10/neighborhood-network-watch-wardriving.html

For more information on “A Day in LA” please visit http://washblvd.tk/

The Neighborhood Network Watch Keyword Analysis Application (NNWKAA) has been included in the book “Programming From A to Z” by the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University.  The book takes a look at work that uses procedural analysis for the generation of text that does not rely on gallery spaces, screens, and venues to be experienced.  The book includes work from Adam Parish, Vikram Tank, Ben Leduc-Mills, Zannah Marsh, Tim Szetela, Maria Mendez, Armin A. Cooper, Fred Benenson, Emery Martin, and Anderson Miller.  You can view the pages on the NNWKAA as a PDF here.