Abstraction Figures is a project of Benton-C and David Last working with collaborators to create live audio visual performances. Working from an audiovisual score, the evening-length show may be adapted to different venues, ensembles and installations. A 'base layer' of sound and image is played dynamically on an a/v sequencer, which allows for fresh samples to be added extemporaneously, even at a moment's whim during performance. On top of this base, Last/Bainbridge and up to 10 guests perform a/v 'parts' played with found objects put through a custom 'optical compositing' system. This approach yields a balance of structure and impulsive reaction by which visual music may capture a sense of personal narrative and character.

The live show features dynamic manipulation of custom and found objects, hand drawn animation, the Hydromatte (a water-based physical image manipulation device), with a custom hardware-based analog/digital/optical a/v system. A network of contact mics allows the performers to trigger sounds while producing the realtime animations. For example: a clear bowl, filled with water, distorts an image playing back from the sequencer and makes a 'gong' when struck with a mallet.

Last and Bainbridge have a long history together, both making and curating visual music. Since meeting in the late 90s, the two have often given electronic a/v performances, including many at Unity Gain.

In 2004, David and Benton-C co-curated Synaesthesiologists, an overview of the global Visual Music scene presented by Lincoln Center's NY Video Festival in a screening, offsite performances and a collection of shorts presented as an interactive 'video jukebox' installation. Synaesthesiologists subsequently toured to Test-Portal Now-Art festival in Amsterdam.

Soon to be released is Flatlands, Last/Bainbridge's video for Nalepa's title track from his forthcoming CD/DVD set.

VIDEO DOWNLOADS
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Play It Kershaw | video: David Last | music: Someone Else (2007)
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Subnautica | The Poool (1996)
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VIDEO LINKS
Data Massage | video: David Last, Benton-C, Damon Soule | music: QPE, DJ Rae

BIOGRAPHIES
BENTON-C BAINBRIDGE
Benton-C Bainbridge is a video artist using custom digital, analog and optical systems to make movies, installations and live visual performances.

Benton-C often works collaboratively, co-founding pioneering video collectives including The Poool, NNeng and Stackable Thumb. These groups and others were known for live visual performances in which found objects were transformed by camerawork, FX and live montage in composed works and improvisations.

In 2006, Benton-C founded VJ-U, an informal educational effort to teach the art of VJ'ing and live visual performance. VJ-U began as New York City's first VJ class for the Department of Education, continued as a year-long Education Fellowship at Eyebeam Art & Technology Center, and is currently an online education project and series of netcasts done in partnership with Dan Winckler. vj-u.net

Benton-C has exhibited on 5 continents in venues including SFMoMA (San Francisco), Hayden Planetarium, Lincoln Center, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington, D.C.), Teatro Col—n CETC (Buenos Aires), EMPAC (Troy, NY), Sonic Light (Amsterdam), Dallas Video Festival, Madison Square Garden, Whitney Museum at Philip Morris, Museum of Modern Art, Eyebeam, CELCIT (Managua), LUX2006 (Sevilla) and MTV Networks (worldwide).

Currently, Bainbridge is working with Bobby Previte as the duo 'Dialed In', using a/v samplers to perform music, video and lighting.

DAVID LAST
Before becoming known for instrumental music tracks released with indie labels in the USA, Europe and Japan, David was a maker of handmade books and experimental video artworks. His work with moving images sometimes took the form of "live cinema" VJ shows with groundbreaking musicians such as Alex Patterson (The Orb), Elysian Fields, Hoppy Kamiyama (eX-Girl), and Colin Newman (Wire). Currently, his video work focuses on hand drawn abstract animation, and subtly altered footage video of people and places.

Over the span of 13 years, his video artwork has metamporphosed with technology, while retaining the same core elements. Footage of places and things, hand drawn imagery, and an abstractly graphic approach to image composition are constants. His work as a light installation artist and sometime VJ has been performed in a wide variety of venues, from a massive warehouse installation in Amsterdam, to a cavern in Kochi Japan. In 2004, with Benton-C Bainbridge, he curated "Synaesthesiologists," a festival of video audio artworks for Lincoln Center. In 2006, he designed the animated cartoon characters for MTV-Japan's program "Advance Warning." His recent work has included artwork and music videos for a variety of projects including Slow Motion Video Festival and Foundsound Records.

You can contact Abstraction Figures by writing to bcb (at) benton-c (dot) com.