Michael Yuen
Michael Yuen (b. 1983) is an Austalian artist working in the area of digital and installation art whose work utilises new technologies to create new experiences. He is also an active new media curator/director and sound engineer. Yuen has formal training as a composer at the Electronic Music Unit, University of Adelaide, under the guidance of Stephen Whittington. His work explores the sonic and the visual through the application of technology and works predominantly in installation. Elements of integrated interaction and computer-generated chance are used to create works, which are owned more by the public than the artist. He seeks an art of experience that rejects the notion of object-based art. Yuen’s research into interactive art has led him to develop camera based gesture recognition systems. In his installation Sound and Light (2005) he utilised an interactive cone of light to create sound that emerged from around the room. 6 Blue Panels (2004) was installed for the University of Adelaide and used soft sounds to enhance an office structure. His works have been presented and discussed on radio through SBS and the ABC. As a director and curator Yuen promotes contemporary art both in performance and installations while strongly recognising the need to contextualise digital arts by presenting historically significant works. He has been at the helm of many computer music performances in Adelaide. In 2003 with Tom Szucs, he founded a highly successful concert and installation series now known as Rundle St/Red-door. Its success led to Project 1 (Adelaide Fringe 2004), which showcased Australia’s contributions to electronic music and explored new ground through Adelaide’s emerging sound artists. In 2005, Yuen directed and curated its successor, Project 2, successfully merging the heritage listed Apothecary 1878 with innovative digital art. As a sound engineer Yuen has worked with prominent Australian projection artist Craig Walsh and leading contemporary pianist Gabriella Smart. As a performer Yuen has become well known for his performances of Alvin Lucier’s I am sitting in a room (1969) using custom built software to perform this seminal work in real-time.
Michael Yuen curates for
featuring these soundartists
Sebastian Tomczac
Thomas Reiner
Robert Sazdov
Lawrence English
Somaya Langley
Stephen Gard
Edition III
curated by Melody Parker-Carter