Visualux: A New VJ Networking Space

9 May 2007 Category: Events & Exhibitions, Features, Film / Animation, Music

Visualux: A New VJ Networking Space

"Visualux" – a gathering for VJs and all kinds of visual artists happened last Tuesday, the 1st of May, at Roppongi 's SuperDeluxe.

Last Tuesday was one more energetic attempt to vitalize the VJ scene in Japan: it was the premiere of “Visualux”, a bimonthly event for gathering VJ artists and related businesses organized by visual label lightrhytmvisuals and Japanese VJ portal Global Audio Visual Japan (GAVJ). For the first night held in Tokyo’s SuperDeluxe they flew in someone from L.A.: VJ Culture which happen to have just published their juicy VJ compilation “‘vE-”jA: Art + Technology of Live Audio/Video”. PingMag caught the organizing team for statements and reports from the spot!

Written by Chiemi
Translated by Natsumi Yamane

Live performances at “Visualux” last week.

The organizers, Ben Sheppee and Jon Schwark, established lightrythmvisuals as an independent visual label in San Francisco in 2002. Their noble aim is to raise the quality of visual works through artist promotion and distribution. So, what again is the intention behind this new Vislualux event?

Visualux has two purposes. One is to create a lounge space for interaction between people and club visuals, and the other is to make a social occasion for creators. These days, many people are aware of video artists working in clubs but the audience rarely has the opportunity to see how it all works behind the scenes. We thought if people understood the process behind the visuals, then they could perhaps appreciate club visuals in a new way, says Ben Sheppee of lightrythmvisuals.

More atmo from “Visualux”: despite its first night, around 130 people turned up for the event.

Chill out with drinks while you get enchanted by the nice visuals.

Each of the forthcoming Visualux events will invite several guests from Japan and abroad for a performance. Last week it featured Japanese Shinji Murakoshi and Los Angeles-based VJ Culture. VJ Culture a.k.a. Grant Davis not only did an amazing live performance, he also presented their new VJ book called “‘vE-”jA: Art + Technology of Live Audio/Video” written by Xarene Eskandar. By chance, this was compiled at around the same time as “VJ: Audio-Visual art + VJ Culture” edited by D-FUSE - and recently featured on PingMag, of course.

VJ Culture a.k.a. Grant Davis is being introduced by Japanese musician and evening MC Coppe. Look closer, there you can see the compilation “’vE-”jA: Art + Technology of Live Audio/Video” in his hands.

VJ Culture’s performance during last year’s Torino Olympics. Not only in charge of the visuals for BECK’s concert tour, they also hosted performances with the Magnetic Poets each day.

While still holding his VJ compilation that features more than 40 international VJs and visual artists, Grant Davis gave his view of the current VJ scene in America:

In the VJ scene in the States, the artists are more closely connected to each other. Whereas in Europe, the competition is very severe. The artists lend equipment to one another and help each other for shows, making their activities much more collective. Also, events in Europe and Japan show the name of the VJs on flyers. On the other side, it requires a tremendous amount of effort to get the VJs’ names on flyers in U.S. cities other than San Francisco. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that VJ as a profession is unrecognised: there are around 20 artists that are able to make their living as VJs. As for the style, San Francisco is more psychedelic, and New York is more experimental and dirty, says Grant Davis.

Though you can’t make them out in this pict, there were some well-known Japanese visual artists in the crowd…

“Visualux” has four more events planned for this year. For that, back again to Ben Shepee of lightrythmvisuals: what kind of role do you expect from “Visualux,” and what’s the future plan?

Even though 90 percent of VJ technology is produced here, Japanese VJ artists are rarely seen abroad. So we will continue to have a mix of local talents and high quality international performances, and build bridges for the future. Also, we are planning to have Scott Pagano, Suryummy, Addictive TV, LightSurgeons, Flapper3, MMM, CHa2, VJ Reel as coming guests, says Ben Sheppee.

Interactive projection system by Vanten creates more visuals on the floor, which looks like a beautiful carpet.

Don’t miss the next “Visualux” on Monday, the 4th June, with special guests VJ Anyone from London and Japan-based UNU! Would be nice if you come by for a chat amongst VJ artists…

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