Officiating guests about to connect to oranges for electricity.
Photo: Shong Lam for Microwave International New Media Arts Festival

It’s no doubt that technology takes up a big part in our daily life. On the other hand, technology could be the key element of creating extraordinary artworks. From 7-23 November 2008, Microwave International New Media Arts Festival brings artists/scientists from all over the world to Hong Kong. Through their new media art to explore life technologies and biotech from the point of view of art, under the theme of “Transient Creatures”.

Does it Make Scents to Have Fun? – Players’ responses / Mei Kei Lai

For this year exhibition, Microwave invited six group of artists/scientists to showcase their experimental and innovative art pieces: “Does It Make Scents To Have Fun?” by Mei Kei Lai (Macau) is an artwork of using to explore the boundaries of olfactory interface through the combination of art, virtual game and technology.

Life Writer © 2006, Laurent Mignonneau & Christa Sommerer

“Life Writer” by Laurent Mignonneau & Christa Sommerer (France/Austria) is a mixture of an old-fashioned typewriter with computer. The creation aims to bring out the question of the human-machine possibility.

Dark Side of the Cell / Anne Niemetz & Andrew Pelling

“The Dark Side of the Cell III” by Anne Niemetz (Germany) & Andrew Pelling (USA) is the first composition ever to utilize cellular sounds. It takes place in a dark space with sculptural objects.

A Semi-Living Worry Doll ‘H’ / The Tissue Culture & Art Project

Tissue Art & Culture Project (Australia) has three projects presented in this exhibition. “The Semi-Living Worry Dolls” were the first six semi-living tissue engineered sculptures presenting in a gallery. There is a Guatemalan Indians legendary lies beneath these Worry Dolls and each one of them represents different worries. Another tissue engineering installation by Tissue Art & Culture Project is “Pig Wings Project”.

The Remains of Disembodied Cuisine – Installation Nantes France, 2003 / The Tissue Culture & Art Project / Photo: Axel Heise, 2003

The team used tissue engineering and stem cell technologies to grow pig bone tissue in the shape of three sets of wings. At last, “The Remains of Disembodied Cuisine” is a presentation of the people spat out the semi-living frog steak the team had grown and feasted on as part of Disembodied Cuisine Installation in France (2003).

The Light of Reason and Dead Butterflies / Soyo Lee

Same as last year, Microwave Festival has organized some complemented events along with the exhibition, which invite the public to be part of the festival. Project Room provides a platform to reveal the creative progress behind experimental works. This year, five works from artists around the world were exhibited with video documentation. The other programmes such as screening programmes, conferences, workshops, sharing session and cellular concert are also included in this year festival. The participants could also ask the creatives questions about their works in this year’s new event Artist Symposium.

Photo: Shong Lam for Microwave International New Media Arts Festival

Microwave Festival has been successfully created a noise by bringing creative collisions of art and technology to the city for the past twelve years. The theme and the events this year are even more interesting. Also, the cool stickers and designed publications are definitely some lovely freebies that impress the visitors. I’m looking forward to the next year festival and hope that it will continue provoking imagination by giving us surprises and artistic adventures in the coming future.

Microwave Festival 2008
Date: November 7th – 16th, 2008
Open: 11:00 – 20:00
Place: Hong Kong City Hall
https://www.microwavefest.net