ix presentation

8/8/2019 IX Presentation

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IXan automagical devicecollaborative interactive installation by h3x3n


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"IX skillfully combines the abstract issues of software art with the material aspects of aninteractive installation and unites them into a harmless looking, but wicked object. It provesto be really humorous as well, for example by naming the spells h.exe files, IX plays with

the conventions of computer cultures. IX offers a highly credible explanation for all thosemysterious little things that happen when you work with a computer, when data justdisappears or the system crashes without reason. Experiencing IX confirms what we havealways suspected: that there is a magical power that controls the machine.

By making use of the hackability of custom soft- and hardware, IX is also an anarchic

statement on computer culture.In IX I see a piece of conceptual art, that this collaborative group of 'computer witches' hasmagically materialized"

Prof. Olibr Grau, Danube University Krems


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IX

The IX and H3X3N concept and proposal were:

- conceived by Nina Wenhart and jonCates for

- The Media Lab Madrid, who accepted our IX proposal for their

- Interactivos? 2007workshop from May 25th to June 8th 2007 and- exhibition running for the month of June 2007


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Media Lab Madrid and Interactivos?"Interactivos? is a platform for the collaborative development of creative projects with

hardware and software.

One of its main goals is to favour the connection between and simultaneousness of thetraining, research and dissemination processes in the field of digital culture, fostering theexchange of knowledge and ideas between people of different disciplines, interests, agesand origins. A special importance is given to the use of open and free physical computing

and programming tools for artists and educators.

Once a year, there is an advanced workshop edition of the Interactivos? projects producedand developed, with a different topic on each occasion. The aim of this workshop is tocreate a collaborative work space in which the selected proposals (by an international opencall) are developed, completed and displayed in a process that is open to the public frombeginning to end."

(http://medialab-prado.es/interactivos http://medialab-prado.es/interactivos , 31.10.2007)
http://medialab-prado.es/interactivos%20http://tr_1194204780629/http://www.interactivos.org/


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THE BEGINNING


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the beginning

- interactivos workshop on "magic and technology"

- idea was born in a skype conference

- work with traditional stage magic elements

- combine them with hacking- create an interactive installation


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the beginningconcept

The first steps in developing a concept out of the initial idea were:

- working on the content

- defining the spells

- defining the device- defining the actions / activities: shaking, glowing, singing,...

- first technical concept

- hardware

- software


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the beginningresource planning

- team planning

- skills needed- people needed

- financial calculations- hardware- software- materials- flights, accomodation- food

- working hours


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the beginningsubmission

All this had to be included in the submission form to interactivos.A team of Medialab Madird organizers and international artists chose 12projects that should be realized during a two week workshop period andimmedieatley shown in interactivos' exhibition at the Conde Duque.


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submission formrest: see page 67

Interactivos? 2007

FORMULARIO DE SOLICITUD / APPLICATION FORM

1. Datos personales (persona de contacto del proyecto) / Personal

Details (Project contact person)

NOMBRE / NAME: JON / NINA .APELLIDOS / FAMILY NAME: CATES / WENHART .

DOMICILIO / ADDRESS: LANDSTRASSE 77

.

POBLACIN / CITY: LINZ

CODIGO POSTAL / ZIP: 4020 .

PAIS / COUNTRY: AUSTRIA .

TELFONO / PHONE NUMBER: 0043/676/5308357 .

E-MAIL: [email protected] / [email protected]

.


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IX short descriptionfor Interactivos? 2007

IX is a vicious and powerful magical device for bewitching computers. It contains 9randomly executed spells that are set free by shaking an enchanted cube. IX appliestraditional stage magic to the computer's operating system and questions who is in controlof the technological.

IX is a collaborative project by H3X3N, a group from Madrid, Malmoe, Chicago and Linz

composed of Mark Beasley, Abraham Manzanares (Coloursound), Fernando LBarrajon,jake elliott, tamas kemenczy, Alex Inglizian, Nina Wenhart and jonCates.


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IX longer descriptionfor digital sparks 08

"Shake the cube

and set its magic free

to hack and hex

a Mac, a Linux, a PC"

IX is a vicious and powerful magical device for bewitching computers. It contains nine

randomly executed spells that are set free by shaking an enchanted cube.But like in the Magician's Apprentice, once the user executes control, the device goes out

of control and does whatever magic it wants.To hack and hex the operating systems, IX combines traditional stage magic and irony (as

an element of hacking culture) in the magic spells, the h.exe files.IX plays with the user's expectations by constantly shifting the position of power andquestions who is in control.


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IX longer descriptionfor digital sparks 08 (continued)

We seeked to realize IX in order to create collaborative magic, tolearn from and share withother computer wizards and digitalwitches and to improve our own random spell castingabilities.

IX was produced at the Media Lab Madrid for Interactivos? (http://interactivos.org/pmwiki.php/Main/Exhibition07)
http://interactivos.org/pmwiki.php/Main/Exhibition07http://interactivos.org/pmwiki.php/Main/Exhibition07http://interactivos.org/pmwiki.php/Main/Exhibition07


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IX teampeople

BUILD 1:* identifying the specific works, tasks and responsibilities in the projectNina Wenhart; Linz (present in Madrid) - concept, development, exhibition setup

jonCates; Chicago (present in Madrid) - concept, development, exhibition setupMark Beasley; Chicago (present in Madrid) - project manager, hardware development of cube, oversight

and integration of all elements (cube, spells, songs, etc), exhibition setup

Alex Inglizian; Chicago - Max MSP programming of songs, OSC programming of spells

jake elliott; Chicago - Python programming of spells

tamas kemenczy; Chicago - Python programming of spells

Abraham Manzanares; Madrid (present in Madrid) - hardware development of cube

Fernando LBarrajon; Malmo (present in Madrid) - hardware development of cubeRaimund Schumacher; Linz - graphic and software help


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IX teamthe team name

the h3x3n collaborative

"Hexe" is the German word for witch.We decided to wirte it in "leet speak" replacing the e's with 3's. "Leet speak" isoften used humorously or ironically in Hacker, Cracker and New Media Artcultures and involves substituting numbers for letters, mistakes and intentionalmisspellings.

Also, in H3X3N we have 3 x 3 = 9, the total numer of spells our cube contains.

Although we can identify responsibilities and tasks, our collaboration involvesall collaborators in all aspects of the project. With Digital and New Media Art,the concept of the artist as a solitary genious is no longer valid. Most oftenprojects involve a team of specialists and generalists collaborating together.


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IX teamthe team in Chicago

jake elliott tamas kemenczy Alex Inglizian


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THE WORKSHOP


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IX timeline

IX was conceived of as a project to be executed in:

- the 2 week timeframe of the Interactivos? 2007 workshop but

(- due to the international team, work occured 24 hours a day- allowing H3X3N to effectively double the 2 weeks into a month- resulting in H3X3N's successful production of IX.- This process was documented by H3X3N on our blog. )


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the workshopweek 2

- Madrid team is complete now- Mark, Abraham, Fernando: cube development- Mark, Jon, Nina: setup computers- Jon, Nina: deal with problems + help- Jon: communication between individual parts- Nina: exhibition planning

- Chicago team:- further development of spells and sound

- all the time:- all people had to communicate and test with each other- work going on 24 hours a day


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the workshopbefore exhibition start

- Madrid:Mark, Jon, Nina soldering and glueing, implementing updates, testingnew versions

- Chicago:Jake, Tamas, Alex working on spells and sound and how both cancommunicate

- put together and tested in nightly sessions at hostel, because netconnection at exhibition space almost never worked


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the workshop


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IX - THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT


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IXthe communication between the parts


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IXthe three aspects

BUILD 1 included the following aspects:

- Cube: a hand-built glowing cube that when shaken bewitches unsuspecting

computers

- Interactive Installation: the exhibition area based on Stage Magic

- Artware: the spells running on the computers


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IXhardware

The hand-built cube contains the following technical components:

- A hacked Nintendo Wii Mote to allow the cube's position to be tracked

- IR sensors

- A Bluetooth Arduino board to communicate with the bewitched computers

- LEDs to cause the cube to glow when shaken

- An FM radio receiver to broadcast the cube's songs


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IXcube ingredients

Bluetooth Arduino board


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IXcube ingredients

Nintendo Wii Mote, FM transmitterand receiver


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IXtechnical setup of installation

The Interactive Installation/exhibition area based on Stage Magic held thefollowing components:

- 3 computers (Linux, Windows and Mac) to be bewitched

- IR sensors to track the position of the cube

- An FM radio receiver to broadcast the cube's songs


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IXsoftware

The Artware or Software Art aspect consisted of the spells running on thecomputers written in the following languages or authoring environments:

- Python

- Max/MSP

- OSC (Open Sound Control)


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IXsoftware

The Artware or Software Art aspect of IX was mainly written in the Pythonprogramming language to emulate a command line interface or terminalwindow in which the spells would be cast.

The spells themselves were also written in Python. The Max/MSP patch

provided the cube with it's songs and also randomly selected which spellswould be cast on the unsuspecting computers.

The messages to cast the spells were sent across a small local area networkconsisting of the 3 computers. These messages, to trigger the spells, were sentusing OSC (Open Sound Control).


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IXMax MSP patches


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IXMax MSP patches


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IX exhibitionhow to transport the meaning

make conenctions to things people already are familiar with

- the stage design

- a magic book

- translations


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IX exhibition planning

had to work on project and exhibition in parallell

the design of the exhibition space:- what we had to consider:

- the actual space:

- where are we, when do you see the place?- the neighbours- surrounding sounds

- first thought: design it like a workspace- decision: created a magical environment, use light + glow to drag in the

people, volume up the sound


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We don't think it is enough to just put the people in front of the project, we haveto give explanations and try to make our idea clear. Part of doing so was tocreate a magical athmosphere with the exhibition design.

In addition we developed a magic book to:

- give instructions how to use IX- tell what IX is about- broader context- narrower context

- inform about h3x3n- invite to participate


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During working in Madrid and trying to get material we needed we encountereda lot of problems because of language. A lot of people, even young ones, couldnot speak English at all. In order to make our concept work, we needed toreach the people, so we had to make IX more site specific and translateeverything into Spanish.

translations- by Spanish contributor: knew the idea, knew technical aspects- concierge is an actor: for getting the right feeling, not a technical, but

human understandable language, that can touch the audience


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IX exhibition planningmagic book


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getting the materials:- finding places where they would sell fabric- sew the curtain and the table clothes- get the tables- get screens that are the same (get a Mac)

- get stuff for magic book


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what we did to keep IX running:- manual to start and stop the application- technicians must be able to change batteries --> "door" in cube- support "hotline"

diffi l i


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difficulties

- contributors in Madrid:- handed in their own projects which were rejected- Abraham was working on three projects- Fernando was almost stopping the project

- interactivos (concept and organization):- emphasis on the Spanish people, language- concept of contributors- financial support- material support- net-connection

- access to workspace- exhibition space = workspace

diffi lti


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difficulties

- communication:- Spanish at interactivos, with contributors, with shopkeepers- Chicago people have their own language

- time and space:

- only two weeks from start to exhibition- siesta- one space for work and exhibition: we didn't know untill the end how the

exhibition space would look, had to move while working

diffi lti


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difficulties

THE EXHIBITION


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THE EXHIBITION

IX


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IXthe exhibitionat Conde Duque


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IX


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IXdid we reach our goals?

initial concept realized- framework for decentralized collaborators was good, because it was

detailed enough so that everyone thought the same thing and open enough sothat everyone could be creative in his/her special task

- interactivity worked

- all spells worked- sound and glow- exhibition setup

compare with other projects:- compromises: no interactivity, narrowed initial concepts

--> too complex/big scope for two weeks--> advantage of distributed team: so we could work 24 hours a day

IX


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IXdid we reach our goals

financial plans:- stayed within our plans (even below)- but: didn't get money refunded my interactivos

transport of idea:

to make a project work, it is not only important that it functions the way you planit, but also that you are able to transport your idea to others; therefore a lotneed to be done around the project:

- think of the space of the exhibiton and its specifics,- think of your audience- think of additional help

costs


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costseffective costs

Resource Count Cost (in Euro or $)We borrowed three computers (Mac, Linux and Windows) and a table 3 ---Flights for 2 collaborators (Wien - Madrid), public transfer, taxi 2 800 Wii-mote 1 40Arduino BT 1 100Electronics (LEDs, IR sensors, bread board, wire, resistors,...)

Batteries (AA and 9V) 25miniradio 1 13Fm transmitter 1 29Construction material for the Magic Cube (plexiglass) 30

Glues (2-part epoxy, hot glue, paper glue, Gaffer Tape,...) 15Handbag for Magic Book 1 18Paper, Pens,... for Magic Book, Book for basis of Magic Book 1 5Fabric for Magic Curtain and Table 2 36

t


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costsfictional costs

Resource Count Cost (in Euro or $)Food and drinks for team not included; accomodation provided by Medialab Madrid

Working Time10 days, 7 people, 8 hours/day --> you couldn't pay that on an hourly basis, therefore a total sum for every collaborator of 500 Euro wouldbe chosen --> ficitional costs for collaborators in total = 3500 Euro

CONCEPTUAL THOUGHTS


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CONCEPTUAL THOUGHTS

spells


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spellsIX is based on 9 spells referred to as the h.exe files:

- 1 turns the computer on by generating ASCII porn- 2 restarts the computer- 3 makes data disappear by deleting files- 4 makes data reappear by recreating deleted files

- 5 cuts the operating system in half- 6 runs the rabbit virus- 7 catches the rabbit virus in the magician's hat- 8 creates order + nonsense with text processing- 9 creates chaos + sense with text processing

addressing the Interactivos? 2007 theme of Magic and Technology bycomparing hexing (spell casting) with hacking (computer programing)while playing with intentionally uncontrollable forces (like a sorcerersapprentice).

spells


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spellsscreenshots

spells


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spellsscreenshots

IX installation


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IX installation

The Interactive Installation/exhibition area for IX at Interactivos? 2007was based on Stage Magic and not meant to simply function as otherDigital and New Media Art objects were placed traditionally on apedestal.

The original plan called for a workspace area to be designed thatwould welcome playful engagement but H3X3N determined that thiswas not magical enough and would not have distinguished IX fromother surrounding projects, especially those with sound. As a result,Nina Wenhart designed and installed the Interactive

Installation/exhibition area for IX, creating a magical book with thespells in English and Spanish as well as a traditional Stage Magicenvironment with black curtains setting IX apart from other projects inthe exhibition.

IX


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IXfuture plans

- DEADTECH Gallery Chicago April 2008 exhibitionhttp://www.deadtech.net

- BUILD 2 develop it further:

- improve the cube parts (because of the short time andunavailability of some parts we had to make compromises)- want to make the cube smaller- want to make the cube more stable (the shaking-aspect)- now a new member and the helpers away

- send it to festivals (transmediale, digital sparks, prix ars 2008,...) arethe next steps for IX v02

IX


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IXdocumentation

h3x3n.wordpress.com

Blog started by Mark, Abraham and Fernando when they started working in Madrid.Documents the progress of the work

www.h3x3n.org

Started by jonCates and Nina Wenhart after the exhibition.Documents the idea and concept, summarizes the technical aspects, reflects on different

aspects of the project, is identical with the presentation.


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ADDITIONAL MATERIAL


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ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

IX submission text (1)


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IX - submission text (1)

IX is glowing automagical amulet that casts 9 randomly selected spells on unsuspecting computers whilesoftly singing generative celestial songs in it's own magical languages. As powerful digitaltalisman containing 9 magic spells, IX is a self contained device that interacts wirelessly with computers init's direct proximity.

The user of this automagical amulet must hold and shake IX in front of the computer that they wish tobewitch. IX's inner glow increases and it emits a soft pulsing light while it's singing voice raises toan audible level. IX then chooses from 1 of 9 spells to cast on the system. As the IX amulet chooses aspell it begins to glow more brightly with the spell's specific color.



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When the spells are casts on the nearby computer, IX invokes a magic command line applicationwindow that automagically opens on the computer screen, running and executing 1 of the 9 spells. Themagic command line application window invokes spells of specific significance to our contemporarycomputer cultures.

The spells that IX chooses are beyond the control of the computer user or those that hold IX. As anautonomous system IX selects from the 9 spells inscribed inside IX to: turn computerson; restart them; make data disappear; make data reappear; saw an operating system in half; run therabbit virus; cast a spell of protection against the rabbit virus; create order; or finally to create chaos in

selected files and file structures on the system being manipulated.



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Combining artistic hardware and software development, the IX project recasts and recodes magic as aform of hacking, cracking and virus authoring because those that use IX can attempt to intervene in thenormal operating of unsuspecting computers. IX is itself a small and seductive device, glowing, singingand murmuring in it's own magical languages. IX responds when users approach it, glowing brighter andsinging more loudly as it as it is held and shaken. The user casts spells but cannot control what spell IXwill choose.

As a powerful but autonomous tool, IX retains it's own agency as endowed and articulated by the spells itcasts across all operating systems. The magical command line application window that IX creates on thebewitched computer itself invokes not only the spells IX has cast but also a sense of unexplainablemystery as IX seizes control of the computer and making the machine behave in ways that areunpredictable

and unexpected.


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IX - submission text


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IX - submission textmaterial & budget

A maximum materials budget of 500 Euro will be used to develop the IX device. Materials that arerequired include a acrylic plexiglass cube containing LEDs, micro-controllers, electronic circuits, andwirelesscomponents. Parts of the internal hardware could be self-financed. A 300 Euro portion of the budget isneeded for 3 computers to bewitch with IX's magical command line window application in order to exhibit

IX.

IX - submission text


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IX - submission textproduction plan

Week 1 A: Develop magic command line application window and digital spells in Java, Python andOpenGL

Week 2 A: Fabricate cube, building plexiglass case and internal mechanisms

Week 2 B: Program cube and magic application window interactions on all 3 major operating systems

and on 3 bewitched compiuter systems.

Media Art Histories and background


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Media Art Histories and background

Magic and technology are overlapping fields and have deeplyinterrelated historical developments involving:- Magic and Technology as material and immaterial power

- Magic and Science as institutionalized and codified bodies ofknowledge- Technology and Art as connecting Digital and New Media Art- with the historical roots of Technology, Science and Media Art- growing from Magic (as a form of proto or pretechnology) as

something new and outside the established fields and forms ofknowledge, i.e. experimental.

Mathematical Magic


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Mathematical Magic

- led to building automata and is- closely related to the domains of Physics and Architecture- Hermes Trismegistos- A shift occurred in the 15th/16th century when Mathematical

Magic became established and accepted as Science withproponents such as Kirchner, Faust and Marlowe.

Stage Magic


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Stage Magic

- tricks- optical illusions

Magical languages


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Magical languages

- Computer programming as a Magical Language- code- encrypted and sacred languages- magical spells as incantations, casting life into the inanimate

wizardry + witchcraft Media Art Histories- Florian Cramer- invocations and incantations