NKISI

At Jardins Efémeros festival (2021)

Actuated robotic drum

Setup diagram

Measurement and callibration using REW

At Serralves museum (2021). Photo by Alexandra Tomás

NKISI is a music/performance hybrid that aims to dialogue with cosmogonies, cults and rituals, focusing on music and dance mediated by robotic sound and lighting devices.

This project represents a development of a previous work - RADA™, a robotic music ensemble - providing a number of improvements, namely the actuation of the membranophones, by fitting a loudspeaker inside, and enabling each instrument to be self-contained and moved by performers, while being controlled wirelessly. These modifications allowed to explore the motion of these actuated instruments and its interaction with the acoustic space, as well as scenic motifs between performers and instruments within the performance space.

Presentations

04/06/2021: CIAJG - Centro Internacional José Guimarães (Guimarães, Portugal)
09/06/2021: Teatro Viriato - Jardins Efémeros festival (Viseu, Portugal)
11/09/2021: Serralves - O Museu Com Performance (Porto, Portugal)
19/10/2021: FIMP - Festival Internacional de Marionetas (Porto, Portugal)

More info

RADA™ is a robotic music ensemble comprised of three similar membranophones. Read more.

NKISI instagram page.

NKISI youtube videos.

Credits

Artistic Direction: Gil MAC

Performer-Creators: Ana Rita Xavier, Cláudio Vidal, Dori Nigro, Wura Moraes

Music, Electronics and Programming: Tiago Ângelo

Lighting Design: Nuno Patinho

Research and Video: Gonçalo Mota

Production Coordination: Liliana Abreu

Assistant Director: Rodrigo Malvar

Movement Support: Vânia Rovisco

Research Support: Stela Cunha

Costume Support: Mário Calisto

Photography: Rui Pinheiro

Co-production: Teatro Oficina, Mafagafa

Residency Support: Projecto Agit Lab, CRL - Central Eléctrica, GNRation, Oficinas do Convento, Sonoscopia

Support: Portuguese Directorate-General for the Arts (Direção-Geral das Artes).

This project was part of a Doctoral Program in Digital Media at FEUP (Faculty of Engineering - University of Porto) with the support of FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology - Portugal).