OmniCircus Center for Robotic and Synthetic Performance is an Experimental

8/14/2019 OmniCircus Center for Robotic and Synthetic Performance is an Experimental

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OmniCircus Center for Robotic and SyntheticPerformance is an experimental theater researchenvironment, led since its founding in 1988 by composer-

artist Frank Garvey. We explore performance-works thatintegrate 'live' acting, music and dance with sophisticatedmechanical actors and midi-controlled, computer-animated(VIRpt) performers. OmniCircus also has a permanentinstallation of art, music, digital art and robotics.

DeusMachina, the OmniCircus musical ensemble,composes for our performances and has a catalog ofrecordings on the Gate 6 label and the American Composer's

Forum innova label.

The Robotic Ensemble of the OmniCircus is a mechanicalred-light district, a troupe of robot beggars, hookers, junkiesand street preachers who appear in OmniCircus shows andengage in mysterious cyborg guerilla theater on the citystreets.

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head of LOBOY, robotic beggar

Frank Garvey (1993)

GOBOY, robotic beggar, Frank Garvey (1994)

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PLOW GIRL, robotic junkieFrank Garvey / Aaron Edsinger / Jef f Weber (1994)

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PLOW GIRL, robotic junkieFrank Garvey / Aaron Edsinger / Jef f Weber (1994)

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GODFELLA, robotic street preacherFrank Garvey / Aaron Edsinger / Jef f Weber (1995)

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ONE-LEGGED MEN at a BUTT KI CKING CONTESTrobotic warriors

Aaron Edsinger / Jef f Weber / Frank Garvey (1997)

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heads of CLICK and CLACK, the One-leg ged M en

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SLAVE 0robotic stripper

Carl Pisaturo / Frank Garvey (1998)

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HUMPERrobotic hooker

Frank Garvey / Todd Camill / Dave Belotti (2001)

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MANDALA oil painting by Frank Garvey (1973)

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PRIMEVAL LANDSCAPEoil painting

Frank Garvey (1977)

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BEHEMOTHoil painting

Frank Garvey (1982)

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ONE-LEGGED MEN at a BUTT KI CKING CONTESToil painting

Frank Garvey (1982)

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FEEDING FRENZY oil painting by Frank Garvey (1983)

CHILDRENS CRUSADE oil painting by Frank Garvey (1984)

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HELL ON EARTHoil painting

Frank Garvey (1985)

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TO EACH HIS OWN oil painting by Frank Garvey (1986)

ORGY OF DOUBT oil painting by Frank Garvey (1986)

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MEN IN ROBES oil painting by Frank Garvey (1987)

ONE-LEGGED MEN oil painting by Frank Garvey (1989)

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PRISONERcement sculpture

Frank Garvey (1990)

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BACK ALLEYcement sculpture

Frank Garvey (1991)

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THE DISAPPEAREDcement sculpture

Frank Garvey (1991)

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THE AGE of PROSTITUTION photograph by Frank Garvey / Katherine Du Tiel (1990-91)

THE AGE of POVERTY photograph by Frank Garvey / Katherine Du Tiel (1990-91)

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THE AGE of RAPEPhotograph

Frank Garvey / Katherine Du Tiel (1990-91)

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THE AGE of SLAVERY photograph by Frank Garvey / Katherine Du Tiel (1990-91)

THE AGE of JUNK photograph by Frank Garvey / Katherine Du Tiel (1990-91)

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DeusMachina is a world-psychedelic ensemble, whose polyfusionmusic combines the complexity and depth of classical technique with

the primeval power of industrial music.

The current line-up includes:

Frank Garvey: composer, keyboards, vox and drums

Riley Salyards: movement, acting, vox

Shafqat Ali Khan: vox

Daniel Berkman: composer, guitar, drums, kora, keyboards, tabla

Eric Kenyon: robotics, movement, acting

Geoffrey Pond: movement, acting

Angela Brown: movement, acting, vox, pumpkin

Lee Groban: spoken word, movement, eschatology, obscurity

Chris Graves: composer, electronic music, mack-o-chalk ensembleAdrian Herbez: robotics, virpets

Stuart Hall: movement. acting

David Earl: composer, keyboards, audio engineering

Diane Jackson: movement, acting

Carl Pisaturo : robotics

One of our main projects currently is the construction of a robotic,MIDI-controlled, Taiko junk-sculpture gamelan made from antique

tractor parts and other industrial effluvia the MACK-O-CHALK:

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Founded in 1995, DeusMachina now has four musicrecordings and several videos and DVDs:

MUSICCDs

SEASONS of the VEIL, oratorio composed byFrank Garvey, performed by DeusMachina, 1997

RAP TURE of the DEEP, song cycle by Frank

Garvey and Diana Trimble, performed by DeusMachina, 1998

HOUSE of the DEAFMAN, music-drama by Frank

Garvey, performed by DeusMachina, (enhanced CD w ith demovideos of robots), 1998

LEVIATHAN, sound for the age of poverty, by

Frank Garvey, Jeff W eber and Aaron Edsinger, 1998

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VIDEOS

LEVIATHAN, 1982 (VHS) A dark comedy featuring theamazing Chicago poet and performance artist Lee Groban, which explores

the deformations of the urban landscape as refracted through the

heightened consciousness of the poet w ho w anders alone. (Length: 34min)

FEEDING FRENZY, 1990 (VHS) A feature film starring JimBurkhart, Ted (Silence of the Lambs) Levine and Jack (The Bear) Wallace,

about an ex city-bus driver haunted by the memories of several riders on his

old bus route, all of whom have mysteriously disappeared. (Length: 65min)

GOBOY: His Continuing Adventures (VHS) A surreal videodocumentary which follows Goboy, the mechanical beggar, on his epic

attempt to attend the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art exhibit of

the blank w hite canvasses of Robert Ryman. (Length: 35min)

SEASONS of the VEIL enhanced DVD A spectacularedition of the SEASONS of the VEIL oratorio w ith videos including the

award-w inning 'EROShambo: the MOUND'; the 'GOBOY: His Continuing

Adventures' documentary; and several robot demo films including 'One -

legged Men', 'Humper', 'Godfella', 'Slave 0' and more. (Length: music -

67min; video - 54min)

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The OmniCircus Ensemble has beenmaking a series of stage works thatexplore the labyrinth of life in thesedeformed and traumatic times.

These works include:

HOUSE of the DEAFMAN, at the OmniCircus, upcoming inMarch 2002

ORGY of DOUBT, at the OmniCircus, 1999

FEEDING FRENZY , at the OmniCircus, 1999

SERMON on the MOUND, at the OmniCircus, 1998

SEASONS of the VEIL (first version), at the OmniCircus,1997

RAPTURE of the DEEP , at the OmniCircus, 1997

DETOUR , at the OmniCircus, 1996

DAMAGED MAN and WOMAN , at the Climate Theater,1995

OMNICIRCUS, at Somar Gallery, 1993

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the complete text, with illustrations, of the foundingdocument of the OmniCircus, written by Frank Garvey8.1.93, revised 10.31.01:

ROBOTIC and SYNTHETIC

PERFORMANCE:Steps Toward a Culture of Liberation

a Manifesto of the OmniCircus

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selected reviews and articles about the

work of

Frank Garvey

and the

OmniCircus

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OmniCircus550 Natoma St.San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 701-0686

www.omnicircus.com

[email protected]

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OmniCircus Center for Robotic and Synthetic Performance is an Experimental