Jānis Garančs will perform several experimental pieces (etudes) in improvised collaboration with musician Simon Lysander Overstall. Through these etudes - fusion of visual and soundscapes - Jānis Garančs will demonstrate the AV4D (working title) - a self-developed toolset - integration of software and hardware (like VRML/X3D browser, VJ software and hardware - cameras, video mixers and MIDI controllers) as interactive platform for immersive multimedia performances and 3-D (stereoscopic) Vj'ing.

Bio

Garančs was born 1973 in Latvia (Lettonie) and works in areas of interactive multimedia installations and immersive audiovisual performance.

He received a BFA in Painting, from the Latvian Academy of Arts, Riga. He studied video and computer art at the Royal University of Fine Arts (KKH) in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2003 he received his MA Diploma in Audiovisual Media, from the Academy of Media Arts (KHM) in Cologne, Germany, focusing on immersive 3D environments.

His current artistic interest is in moving stereoscopic imagery and 3D/surround audio, designed for various contexts, including museum galleries as well as stage and live concerts. Thematically his work often addresses issues and concepts related to contemporary theoretical physics, communication and evolution theories. During 2006-2008 Garančs has been a researcher at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (Germany), part of a research team of the consortium LIVE (funded by European Union) - developing interactive TV formats and production tools to stage Live Media Events in near future. Currently he continues his creative research and consulting for various projects, and also teaches at Liepaja University, Latvia.

Garančs' works has been shown in various international events including: Ars Electronica Festival (Linz, Austria); Transmediale (Berlin, Germany); DEAF (Rotterdam, the Netherlands); ISEA (Helsinki, Finland); IMCEXPO (Chelsea Art Museum, NYC); TECHNE'06 (Istanbul, Turkey); and venues as SAT (Montreal, Canada); Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris, France); Banff New Media Institute (Banff, Canada); ICA (London, UK); EXPO'2000 Hanover World Exhibition (German Pavilion); and RIXC (Riga, Latvia), and others.

Simon Lysander Overstall is an artist working in digital arts and new media, in particular audio art and music. He has a BFA in Music Composition from the School for Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University, and an Associate in Music (Jazz) Diploma from Malaspina University-College. He has produced sound designs and compositions for dance, theatre, and installations. In addition, he designs software for both performance systems and installations. Currently, he is Research Technician at Intersections Digital Studios at Emily Carr University in Vancouver, Canada.