Art and Science Fiction Residency

12/02/2023

Join Artengine for a residency exploring the potential of science fiction as an artistic framework for imagining alternative futures.

 

This paid residency supports one artist / curator / cultural producer between 15 and 30 years of age to develop artistic research and/or a project that engages science fiction as a form of practice and politics. The residency is supported by the Digital Skills for Youth program, administered by IMAA and funded by the Government of Canada.

 

Application Details

 

Application deadline: February 12th, 11.59 PM EST

Residency dates : February 15th to March 31st

Complete applications to be sent to programming@artengine.ca

 

The residency takes the idea of science fiction as a form of practice, a set of sensibilities, and a methodology, increasingly adopted by artists as a theoretical and aesthetic framework for imagining emancipatory, decolonial concepts of futurity.

 

Potential approaches would include a critical perspective or experimental use of (digital) technology and may include: design fiction, immersive audio, game worlds, bio art, digital fashion, AI interventions, and any other critical and experimental approach to digital technologies.

 

During the residency, you will have access to Artengine’s production facilities and equipment, as well as internal and external mentorship.

 

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Touch Designer Meetup

16/04/2025

Wednesday April 16th

 

6:30-7:15 Warm Up and Chit Chat

7:15-8:30 Show and Tell or Pitch a Project

 

For this edition of our TouchDesigner MeetUp we have invited a number of local artists to show us under the hood of their TouchDesigner projects.

 

We also want to hear from you. Bring your ideas for a fun exchange on the project potential of TouchDesigner.

 

What to expect:

Meet and connect with other local artists

Get inspired by cool projects at the intersection of art and technology

Be able to share ideas and ask questions

No need for laptop

 

As always SNACKS!

Flutterings / Papillonnements

24/03/2025

Flutterings – Monarch butterflies and climate change

Residency showcase by Valérie Chartrand opens April 24 at Artengine

Ottawa, ON – Artist Valérie Chartrand invites the public to Flutterings, an exhibition exploring the impact of climate change on monarch butterflies, presented at Artengine in Arts Court from April 24 to May 10, 2025. The opening reception will take place on April 24 from 6 PM to 8 PM.

Inspired by scientific research conducted in Dr. Heather Kharouba’s lab at the University of Ottawa, Flutterings bridges art and ecology. Chartrand’s works incorporate UV-printed plant resin, thermochromic pigments that fade with heat, UV dyes, and solar-powered blooms, each material chosen to evoke the effects of warming on ecosystems and the delicate interdependence of life.

The exhibition also serves as a poetic memorial to monarch butterfly specimens used in research, honouring their role in advancing our understanding of climate impacts on insect life and supporting the survival of future generations.

Flutterings is the result of a residency with the Kharouba Lab and Artengine, supported by the City of Ottawa’s Creation and Production Fund. The project highlights the strength of a collaboration between art and science in addressing ecological change.

Exhibition Details:
Opening Reception: April 24, 6–8 PM
Exhibition: April 24 – May 10, 2025 (Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM)
Location: Artengine, Arts Court, 2 Daly Ave, Ottawa

Papillonnements – Monarques et changements climatiques

Exposition de résidence de Valérie Chartrand – Ouverture le 24 avril à Artengine

Ottawa (Ontario) – Valérie Chartrand invite le public à découvrir Papillonnements, une exposition qui explore l’impact des changements climatiques sur les papillons monarques, présentée à Artengine dans la Cour des arts, du 24 avril au 10 mai 2025. Le vernissage aura lieu le 24 avril de 18 h à 20 h.

Inspiré par les recherches scientifiques menées au laboratoire de la Dre Heather Kharouba à l’Université d’Ottawa, Papillonnements établit un pont entre l’art et l’écologie. Les œuvres de Chartrand intègrent de la résine végétale imprimée avec UV, des pigments thermochromiques qui s’effacent sous la chaleur, des teintures UV, ainsi que des fleurs alimentées par l’énergie solaire — chaque matériau étant soigneusement choisi pour évoquer les effets du réchauffement sur les écosystèmes et l’interdépendance fragile des êtres vivants.

L’exposition se veut également un hommage poétique aux spécimens de monarques utilisés dans la recherche scientifique, honorant leur rôle dans l’avancement de nos connaissances sur l’impact climatique sur les insectes et leur contribution à la survie des générations futures.

Papillonnements est le fruit d’une résidence avec le laboratoire Kharouba et Artengine, soutenue par le Fonds de création et de production de la Ville d’Ottawa. Ce projet témoigne de la richesse d’une collaboration entre l’art et la science pour sensibiliser aux enjeux écologiques actuels.

Détails de l’exposition :
Vernissage : 24 avril, de 18 h à 20 h
Exposition : 24 avril – 10 mai 2025 (du mardi au samedi, de 10 h à 17 h)
Lieu : Artengine, Cour des arts, 2 avenue Daly, Ottawa

Touch Designer Meetup: MediaPipe Workshop

06/03/2025

Join us for an interactive TouchDesigner meetup, where we’ll explore the powerful capabilities of the Free Motion Tracking plugin using MediaPipe for Face, Hand, and Pose Tracking. This session is perfect for creators who want to integrate real-time motion tracking into their projects using TouchDesigner and MediaPipe, an open-source machine learning framework that enables developers to build multimodal applied machine learning pipelines.

What to Expect:

  • A collaborative environment where we dive into the technical details and practical applications of motion tracking.
  • Hands-on group activities to implement and experiment with Face, Hand, and Pose Tracking features.
  • An opportunity to discuss, troubleshoot, and share techniques with fellow TouchDesigner enthusiasts.

Pre-Meetup Preparation: Upon reserving your ticket, you’ll receive a confirmation email with links to download the MediaPipe plugin from GitHub. Please ensure you have MediaPipe installed and have watched the tutorial video linked in the email. We recommend you experiment with the plugin beforehand to maximize our hands-on session together.

Snacks & Community: Enjoy light refreshments while networking with a vibrant community of creative technologists. This is a great chance to connect and collaborate with peers who share your passion for innovation and interactive media.

Reserve your spot now and be part of this exciting exploration into the world of motion tracking with TouchDesigner and MediaPipe!

Register Here

 

 

GroupChat02-Game Night

21/11/2024

Artengine GroupChat: Game Night

Join us for a special edition of GroupChat where we explore the world of gaming. In this interactive event, we’ll not only play a variety of games but also dive into a thought-provoking discussion on how gaming can inspire and be applied to artistic practice.

Gaming has become one of the most important cultural spaces today and for this group chat we have specially selected games for artists to try out. Wethere you are brand new to gaming or an experienced gamer you will be interested.

Whether you’re a passionate gamer or simply curious about the creative potential of games, this is a space for you to connect with like-minded people and explore the intersection of tech, gaming and art.

In our new Group Chat Format, we will play games and then have a discussion about those games and what does it mean for the art world.

Play and explore video games
Participate in a group discussion on the influence of gaming
Network with fellow artists and gaming enthusiasts
Snacks provided!