This two-hour workshop, led by visual artist Antonio Roberts aka hellocatfood, will introduce you to the basics of Hydra, focusing on how image sources (oscillators, shapes, cameras, windows) can be transformed, modulated, and composited by chaining together different functions.

Hydra is a platform for live coding visuals, inspired by analogue modular synthesis. It is built in javascript by Olivia Jack and be extended through the use of custom image textures, videos and webcam inputs.

This workshop will also introduce you to the world of live coding, in which artists and musicians are creating performances through code. The workshop will delve into the history of live coding and the many approaches for creating live coded audio visual performances.

By the end of the workshop you will have learnt the skills needed to perform using Hydra. If you’ve ever been curious about using code to make visuals and have aspirations to perform at live coding events and Algoraves, then this workshop is perfect for you. We hope to capture visuals created in this workshop and present them in our gallery space for a special sharing event on the 24 December.

No coding experience is necessary. Laptops will be provided. Suitable for ages 12 plus.

Covid 19 Information

Site Gallery would like to reassure you that we will be continuing to follow safety measures to protect and prioritise the safety and access of our staff, volunteers and visitors. Face coverings will be required when moving through the building. The workshop will take place in our upstairs studio and will be in a ventilated space.

Artists

Antonio Roberts is an artist and curator based in Birmingham, UK, working primarily with video, code, and sound. He is critically engaged with the themes surrounding network culture and in his practice explores how technology continues to shape ideas of creation, ownership, and authorship. As a performing visual artist and musician he utilises live coding techniques to demystify technology and reveal its design decisions, limitations, and creative potential.

His work has been featured at galleries and festivals including databit.me (2012), Furtherfield (2013, 2019), Tate Britain (2014, 2015, 2020), Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago (2014),Birmingham Open Media (2015-2016), Jerwood Arts (2016), Whitney Museum of American Art (2017), Green Man Festival (2017), Barbican (2018), Victoria and Albert Museum (2019), and the Czurles Nelson Gallery (2019).

As a live coder and performing artist he has performed at events and venues including SXSW, Barbican, Green Man Festival, Supersonic Festival, British Library, BlueDot Fetsival, Cafe Oto, ICLC, Corsica Studios and more.

See more of his work at:

Website / Instagram / Twitter / Vimeo / YouTube / Soundcloud