*nix Genealogy at “1969″ Show


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