BACKGROUND

UM develops from the N.I.P. - New Interfaces for Performance, project which was presented last year in Lisbon, in September 2007. N.I.P. is a distributed network of artists working in mixed media. The N.I.P. crew hail from the UK, The Netherlands and Portugal and have been working together to explore new modes of practice in experimental, mixed media arts, with a very general focus on gesture and movement.

The current N.I.P. group includes: Kathy Hinde, Tom Bugs, Torsten Lauschmann, Teresa Dillon, UK; Sonia Cillari, Tom Verbruggen, Damian Stewart, NL; André Gonçalves, Rudolfo Quintas and Laetitia Morais, PT. Pass N.I.P participants have also included: Isaac Carlos, NL and André Sier, PT and guest artists Zachary Lieberman, US; Vitor Joaquim, PT; Michel Christina Kubish, DE; Lotta Melin, SWE and Michel Waisvisz, NL.

N.I.P. was initiated and is directed by Teresa Dillon, who in bringing the group back to Portugal for a residency in June, 2008 at O Espaço do Tempo, Montemor-o-Novo, decided to extend the reach on the N.I.P. programme, by developing UM. This was in part, due to the warm reception of the N.I.P. project in Lisbon, in 2007 and the partnerships forged with organisations such as Restart, Bomba Suicida, Upgrade! Lisboa as well as individual artists and curators in the city and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, who support the N.I.P. project.

To support the realisation of UM, Teresa has been working closely with CADA, Lisbon, an organization who support the production and promotion of experiments in new technologies.

UM CONCEPT
Thematically the 2008 UM festival retains the focuses of N.I.P., by further exploring ideas of gesture and movement. This focus complements many of the today’s concerns across various subject areas from the extension and digitalisation of the human body across various networks, to virtual and physical mobility, to environmental and climatic shifts. Never before within our history have we had the capabilities to map and track our movements and gestures. From the slightest human touch, to global tracking systems, our human and environmental gestures can be plotted, visualized, condensed, augmented and transformed.

Addressing these concerns, the UM 2008, includes exhibitions, live music and sound performances, public art works, workshops and seminar discussions.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
UM will take place across central Lisbon - Barrio Alto, Chiado and Santos - in new spaces, artist lead independent venues, cultural meeting places and outside in public squares and on the street.

View the works of international, mixed media artists and practitioners

Attend live performances and club events from Portuguese, US and European musicians, sound artists and DJs.

Participate in seminar discussions with theorists and practitioners.

Take part in music, hacking and media making workshops.

Engage with city-wide public art works and installations.