Artists Collective Gambiologia at ZERO1 Biennial 2012 (Interview)

Until December 2012, the ZERO1 Biennial in San Jose (California) is presenting international contemporary artists that work on the interface between art and technology. Among them is the Brazilian artists collective Gambiologia. The collective – formed by the artists Fred Paulino, Lucas Mafra and Paulo Henrique Pessoa – is participating in the biennial with their Gambiological Armor and new interactive electronic sound devices: Circuit Bending Keyboard, Canned Atari Punk Console, Spatial Ultra Sonic Hot Glue Gun, and Holy Father Joystick. On the occasion of the opening of the show, VernissageTV spoke with Fred Paulino, who talks about Gambiologia’s mission and the works on display. We also watched the artists playing on their instruments, and documented the performance by Gambiologia’s “Grand Master Goose” (Paulo Henrique Pessoa), who inaugurated Gambiologia’s Gambiological Clothing flagged with green high-brightness LEDs.

Gambiologia live and work in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The name Gambiologia refers to “Gambiarra”, the Brazilian practice of makeshifts. Gambiologia is the “science of gambiarra”. The Brazilian collective Gambiologia mixes the art of improvisation with DIY culture and technology to develop electronic artifacts. Gambiologia is a collaborative project with Graffiti Research Lab Brasil. It was awarded with an Honorary Mention on Interactive Arts at Prix Ars Electronica. The group is currently working on an experimental magazine called FACTA.

The Gambiological Armor (2008/2012) is (non-)interactive clothing built from old parts, for a fictional character, going to the end of the world, carrying his gadgets. It looks like contemporary Steampunk. As Fred Paulino says:

“Actually it’s a parody about how many gadgets we carry around in our everyday life… it’s a parody about how communication rules our everyday life.”

Gambiologia’s works are presented as part of the exhibition Seeking Silicon Valley at the ZERO1 Garage in San Jose (California). The group show runs until December 8, 2012.

Gambiologia at ZERO1 Biennial San Jose 2012: Seeking Silicon Valley. September 12, 2012.

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