Can contemporary interactive technologies enable healing, reflection, or avenues for coping with anxiety? InterAccess presents a special summer programming thematic that features performances, lectures, workshops, and panels that explore how artists are using digital platforms to find calm.

UPCOMING EVENTS

dEARdiary – Zeesy Powers – Artist Talk
Thursday, May 23 | 7-8:30PM
FREE with registration

As our devices are an indispensable extension of ourselves, it only makes sense that we look to them for personal insight—regardless of these technologies’ hidden origins or costs. Artist Zeesy Powers discusses her research into machine learning tools for self-reflection, and presents a beta version of new work that aims to make these processes explicit.

Expressing Emotion in Robotic Objects – Parvin Farahzadeh – Open Studio Event
Wednesday, June 5 | 7-9PM
FREE with registration

Are robots capable of communicating emotions? Parvin Farahzadeh discusses human-robot interaction and emotion. Participants will get a chance to create an Arduino puppet made of servos, cardboard, ping-pong balls and strings.

Drone Therapy – Kristel Jax – Performance
Friday, June 7 | 8-10PM
FREE with registration

Drone Therapy is an interactive performance art installation with music: it’s the Dr. Phil of DIY—live talk therapy + drone music. Many people struggle with mental health issues, and Drone Therapy Live gives space for acknowledging these experiences, creating a chill-out space with ambient sounds and vulnerable, sometimes darkly comedic banter as host Kristel Jax (of Drone Therapy Podcast) shares stories and coping mechanisms, and dialogs with participants who chose to sign waivers to chat one-on-one with the Drone Therapist.

Anxiety in the Art World – Panel
David Bobier, Deirdre Logue, Christiana Myers, Gloria Swain, Tommy Truong
Friday, June 21 | 7-8:30PM
FREE with registration

This panel will explore how art institutions generate anxiety among artists and audiences and propose ways these institutions can support community members who experience anxiety. Topics will include related barriers within galleries, museums, colleges & universities and issues in artists’ access to mental health care.

Touch, Sound, Pulse: DIY Vibrotactile Systems – Workshop
Saturday, June 22 | 1-4PM &
Wednesday, June 26 | 7-9PM
Workshop by David Bobier, VibraFusionLab
Register here.

Learn about the multisensory and emotive world of vibrotactility with David Bobier of VibraFusionLab. Bobier will guide participants in building simple vibrotactile systems. The second session will take place during Open Studio, where participants will have a chance to finish their piece, present it to the group, and discuss the ways these systems can create a high-resolution audio-tactile experience.

Reparative Games: Mental Illness and Game Art – Kara Stone – Artist Talk
Thursday, June 27 | 7-8:30PM
FREE with registration

Kara Stone will discuss making games about and with mental illness. She will go in depth about her games Medication Meditation, Cyclothymia, and Ritual of the Moon, and talk about her process of Reparative Game Design.

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION

We regret that at this time InterAccess does not have barrier-free access; we are currently working to improve the accessibility of all facilities.

There are five steps up to our main entrance. Once inside all facilities are on the same level, and there is a single-user washroom inside the unit.

Founded in 1983, InterAccess is a non-profit gallery, educational facility, production studio, and festival dedicated to emerging practices in art and technology. Our programs support art forms that integrate technology, fostering and supporting the full cycle of art and artistic practice through education, production, and exhibition. InterAccess is regarded as a preeminent Canadian arts and technology centre.

950 Dupont Street, Unit 1
Toronto ON M6H 1Z2

https://interaccess.org
info@interaccess.org
+1 416.532.0597

Studio: 24/7 access available
Open Studio: Wednesday 7pm – 10pm for everyone

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Image: Kara Stone, the earth is a better person than me. 2018.