On March 16th, the CICA Vancouver will host the renowned artist Tarun Nayar, also known as Modern Biology. Nayar, widely recognized as a “mushroom musician,” crafts captivating soundscapes using bioelectric fluctuations from plants and mushrooms. He has curated an ensemble of esteemed mycologists, ecologists, poets, and musicians to commemorate the sensation of the plant and fungal realms, fostering hope and resilience. Join us for this exceptional interdisciplinary gathering, where we will immerse ourselves in the auditory wonders of Modern Biology and the natural world, complemented by the extraordinary artwork of Ksawery Komputery.
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Doors: 7:00 PM
Show Starts: 7:30 PM
Electronic sensors read bioelectrical impulses within organic material. (Image by createastir.ca)
About Modern Biology
Modern Biology has brought ‘plant music’ to the masses. Originally educated as a biologist, veteran musician Tarun Nayar brings his passion for nature and sound together in an ambient project that is organismic, immediate, uplifting, and deeply contextual. He uses modular synthesis, home built synthesizers and other analog equipment to improvise with the natural vibrations of a certain place and time – via plant bioelectricity, latent electromagnetic radiation, and even the earth’s resonant hum. Trained from childhood in Indian classical music, he uses the system of Indian raga to mold his musical choices for time of day and season. His performances are an effort to bring the listener into the present moment through vibration, space, and connection.
His work has been viewed over 100 million times and amassed him over 1 million followers on social media, has been featured by The Guardian, BBC, Genius, Vice, The Verge, LA Times and Times of India among others, and one of his ambient works opens the new album, Moonchild Era, by Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh. His recent albums have received editorial support on Spotify’s Music for Plants, Deep Listening, and Lava Lamp playlists. Recent performances include the Museum of Contemporary Art (LA), Art Basel (Miami), The Nobel Prize Museum (Stockholm) and the New York Botanical Garden.
Tarun is passionate about protecting wild places and has committed the lion’s share of the proceeds of this project to supporting the natural world.
About Ksawery Komputery
Ksawery Kirklewski, the pioneering force behind the studio Ksawery Komputery, is a Polish-born artist and creative coder born in 1988. His artistic journey began with a fascination for ‘big pixels’ and computer science, prompting him to pursue studies in related fields at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, Poland. However, a pivotal moment redirected his focus towards fine art, coding, and graphic design.Ksawery’s artistic practice spans fine art, coding, and graphic design, with a particular emphasis on digital and generative art. His diverse portfolio includes interactive light installations, music videos, generative animations, phygital sculptures, and public space realizations, often leveraging new technologies, programming, and advertising media to craft immersive experiences.Having collaborated with prestigious institutions like Nxt Museum Amsterdam and Khroma Berlin, Ksawery is esteemed for his prowess in coding and crafting interactive installations, generative animations, and phygital sculptures. Notably, he veers away from commercial ventures, prioritizing projects aligned with his artistic vision.Central to Ksawery’s work is his exploration of “phygital,” a fusion of “physical” and “digital,” which underscores the seamless integration of online and offline experiences, emphasizing the convergence of analog and digital worlds. Ksawery Kirklewski remains at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of art and technology, leaving an enduring mark in the realms of generative and net art.