Machine Project

Glass Music explores the interior space of the Berkeley Art Museum both aurally and visually. Placing performers throughout the museum’s main space the sounds of the wine glasses will sway and flow through the space, while the performers are guided by abstract visual sheet music created using the lines of the interior architecture.

Jason Brown examines mythology as a hegemonic “interface” into otherwise incomprehensibly complex socio-cultural systems, and discusses the possibility — metaphorical and literal — of a noospheric emergent form beyond the realm of direct human perception, using humanity itself as substrate and system. What is the nature of transcendence when it is itself comprised of immanence? How can there be communication between systems of such vastly incompatible magnitude? And why was Jesus such a douchebag?

Colin Dickey discusses the death of Saint Teresa of Avila, the Phantom Time Hypothesis and the New Chronology, centuries of senseless bloodshed and terrible machines of death designed to bring ever-lasting peace. Also, how long before that Messiah’s corpse spoils in this humidity?

The rich, slick-haired fatcats at Mercedes-Benz have long been supporting the idea that Karl Benz’ 1885 three-wheeler was the birth of the automobile. Most general-interest automobile books and coffee table car books echo this idea as well, leaving the truth a bit harder to find. This lecture is about blowing the lid off that old, common notion and exploring motoring’s rich and weird heritage prior to 1885. We’ll even help you decide what car to buy when you find yourself in the 1860s!