The Light Surgeons were commissioned by Research In Motion to create an animated visual wrap for their Blackberry trade stands in 2009, to be shown at both the GSM technology expo in Barcelona and C-BIT mobile expo in Hanover, Germany. Working with the stand’s designers Shelton Fleming and brand consultancy Figtree, they created a series of rich and colourful ambient visuals for the stand utilising Element Labs‘ Stealth L.E.D. technology.

Directed by Christopher Thomas Allen
Design and Animation by Tim Cowie
Project management by Annie Kwan

In July 2008 The Light Surgeons were commissioned to design and create the visual content for the international launch event of Blackberry’s new 3G mobile, the “Blackberry Bold“. The event took place in London’s Convent Garden with a host of A list guests, a DJ set from Hotchip and a live set by The Feeling.

The visual production took the form of a series of animated sequences. These connected different people in different cities around the world with graphical animations that used motion tracking software laid over documentary footage filmed in different cities around the world. The final material was presented on a set of three beautiful 4mm LED screens supplied by Creative Technology.

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Direction: Christopher Thomas Allen
Animation: Tim Cowie, Jude Greenaway & Toby Harris
Producer: Annie Kwan

Collecting a Kaleidoscope is an exhibition of 20 objects from the Crafts Council Collection selected by Ralph Turner, renowned curator, writer and former Head of Exhibitions at the Crafts Council from 1979-1989. Ralph Turner’s love of craft started during a childhood in a Welsh coal-mining town where hand-making was a necessary part of everyday life. He believes craft offers a timely antidote to our current global culture.

Through his very personal selection from a public collection we are offered an insight to the diverse and unique nature of contemporary craft and the breadth and depth of an exceptional public collection. The Light Surgeons interviewed Ralph Turner and filmed a selection of his own personal objects to produce the film accompanying the exhibition.

Directed by Martin Banks
Produced by Annie Kwan

ADAM PAXTON

GRAINNE MORTON

MAH RANA

NORA FOK

SUSAN CROSS

YOKO IZAWA

Directed by Tim Cowie & Matin Banks
Produced by Annie Kwan

KISS OFF

Artist: Robert Rainbow

SPIRES

Artist: Brede Krosmo

DEAD MAN

Artist: Tim Cowie

Project Director: Christopher Thomas Allen
Producer: Annie Kwan

In December 2006 The Light Surgeons produced and curated a cross-disciplinary art exhibition on the south bank that was commissioned by Nokia Nseries. Articulated was a group show that brought together a cross section of artists from different practices and organizations to transform London’s OXO Barge House with a series of multimedia installations, a cinema space, talks and creative interventions into the surrounding area.

Articulated explored our relationship to space with a collection of commissioned and curated works that engaged with the public through interviews and debate. Each of these works investigated the human condition through the real or imagined boundaries of our everyday lives.

It was a truly unique collaboration which explored the thresholds between public and private space, unraveling a multitude of human stories from London’s cultural metropolis.

ARTICULATED

Exhibition Signage: Millimetre

OBJECTS OF NO FIXED ABODE

Mixed media installation: Pete Codling

I’VE BEEN PLACES I’VE NEVER VISITED

Director: Russel Harris

Live Performance piece which took place in and around the Barge House and along the Southbank.

TRANSIT

Mixed media installation: Christopher Thomas Allen

PROTOCOL

Photographic & Video Installation

Featuring Photography by Chris Allen, Alice Ceresole, Lenka Clayton, Paul O’Connor, Brede Korsmo & James Price
Video Installation By Bilal Main

SINGLE STORY BUILDING

Interactive installation: Blast Theory, created in 2002.

TRUE COLD

Video installation: Blast Theory, created in 2002.

HOMAGE TO THE LOST

Video installation: Brede Korsmo

CITY FOR GRANTED

Video Installation: Tim Cowie

Interviews and field Recordings by Chris Allen, Brede Korsmo, Annie Kwan, James Price & Rob Rainbow
Photography by Chris Allen, Brede Korsmo, Annie Kwan, James Price & Rob Rainbow

CONVERSATION

Video installation: James Price & Lenka Clayton

This installation has also been edited as a film and has toured extensively appearing at international festivals including:
Britdoc, Oxford, July 2007
Hotdocs, Toronto, Canada. PDX, Portland, Oregon, USA, April 2008
Iranian International Documentary Festival, Tehran, October 2008
FLEXfest, Gainsville, Florida, USA, 2009

DIALOG

Mixed media installation: Christopher Thomas Allen

This installation continues to tour art exhibitions internationally:

Out Side The Box, Cornerhouse Gallery, Manchester, England, 2007
Media_City Seoul 2008 – the 5th International Media Art Biennale, Seoul, South Korea, 2008
Biennale Cuvee 09, A World Selection Of Contemporary Art, Linz, Austria, 2009

DEBATE

Mixed media installation: Christopher Thomas Allen & James Price

FROM CEREALS COME CIVILISATION

Video installation: Robert Rainbow

FOOD FOR LIVING THINGS

Mixed media installation: Robert Rainbow

CERBERES

Photographic installation: Marion Lefebvre

ARTICULATED LOUNGE

On the top floor of the exhibition there was an interactive lounge space and cinema curated by onedotzero festival. This contained interactive terminals with archive material supplied by the British Film Institute, sound installations by audio artist Scanner, a program of short films shown in a cinema space with additional screening programs from Halloween Society and a series of talks by guest speakers including the writer Ian Sinclair.

Concept: Christopher Thomas Allen, Robert Pyecroft-Rainbow & Annie Kwan
Curator: Christopher Thomas Allen
Producer: Annie Kwan

Domestic Archaeology was a cross-media art project created by The Light Surgeons that was exhibited at the Geffrye Museum in East London in 2006. The work on show was developed through a process of audio-visual journalism that explores the issues surrounding identity through the study of Londoners and their rich mixture of living spaces.

The project excavated personal stories, memories, objects and meanings that were re-assembled as multimedia installations, offering a reflection on the changing condition of domestic space as well as our more psychological boundaries associated with them.

This exhibition has been documented as a limited addition dual layer DVD, including a set of six postcards of artwork from the exhibition. Currently available from Magma books and the BFI store South Bank, London.

Collaborating Artists: Christopher Thomas Allen, Brede Korsmo, Robert Pyecroft-Rainbow & Tim Cowie
Original Concept: Christopher Thomas Allen & Robert Pyecroft-Rainbow
Production Director: Christopher Thomas Allen
Producer & research: Annie Kwan
Production Assistant: Rouzbeh Nafarieh
Animation: Tim Cowie
Exhibition Design: Millimetre
Concrete Wallpaper: Eric Barret
Workshops: Counterproductions
Smells: The Aroma Company
Print Artwork: IGMA & C3
Website design: Philip O’Dwyer

True Fictions is the result of a year long digital performance art project, produced and directed by Christopher Thomas Allen and commissioned by EMPAC, The Experimental Media and Performing Arts Centre in Troy, New York.

It is a live audio visual spectacle that fuses documentary film making, music, animation and motion graphics with cutting edge digital performance tools. A stunning collage of music and live cinema which explores the themes of truth and myth through a multitude of American and Native American voices; with a original musical score created through the collaborations of 25 New York based musicians and vocal artists.

The final performance was completed and presented in September 2007 at EMPAC and has gone on to tour other media & arts festivals internationally.

For more back ground information about how this project was devloped please visit: http://www.avfolklore.blogspot.com
For more video excerpts from the project please visit: http://vimeo.com/channels/truefictions

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True Fictions is currently being performed by:

Christopher Allen (audio & video)
Tim Cowie (audio & video)
Malcom Litson (audio & analogue operations)
Mark McRae (live guitars & keys)
Matt Waterfield (lighting & technical support)

Touring:

The Armour, EMPAC, Troy, New York, USA, September, 2007
The Great Hall, Urban Screens Festival, Manchester, UK, October, 2007
Teatro degli Arcimboldi, Milano, Italy, November, 2007
ZEMOS98 Festival, Seville, Spain, March, 2008
IMAX Cinema, onedotzero festival, BFI Southbank, London, November, 2008
Brighton Pavilion, Loop Festival, Brighton, July, 2009
Waterfront, TRANS Festival, Captalist Arts, Belfast, July, 2009
Rotuda3, HITEC, Mirowave Festival, Hong-Kong, November, 2009

Project Produced & Directed by Christopher Thomas Allen

Cinematography: Christopher Thomas Allen & Robert Pyecroft-Rainbow
Photography:Christopher Thomas Allen, Robert Pyecroft-Rainbow & Helen Omand
Edited: Christopher Thomas Allen, James Price & Tim Cowie
Animation: Martin Banks, Tim Cowie & Blinkinlab
Audio Interviews: Christopher Thomas Allen, Robert Pyecroft-Rainbow & Jo Williamson
Assistant Producer: Annie Kwan
NYC Production Co-ordination: Sarah Pace
Research & location Production: Helen Omand
Studio Sound Recording & Initial Arrangements: Ben Allen
Music Production & Arrangements: Tim Cowie
Addition Audio Production: Malcom Litson & Jude Greenaway

Special thanks to:

The Seneca-Iroquois National Museum, Salamanca
The Ronathahonni Cultural Center, Cornwall Island, Ontario
Nichols Meat Processing, Altamont, NY
David Lublin & Ray Cutler at VIDVOX
Kathleen Forde, Jason Steven Murphy and all the staff at EMPAC

An EMPAC Commission supported by The Jaffe Fund for Experimental Media and Performing Arts NY

New York Musical Contributors:

Plaster casts created during a series of creative workshops hosted by Counter Productions at the Geffrye Museum during the Domestic Archaeology exhibition.

The Light Surgeons were commissioned to create a four screen audio visual peice to celebrate the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall at the Overture weekend, Southbank, London on the 8th & 9th June 2007. The four films were projected across the south side of the Royal Festival hall on two nights as part of the re-opening festival.

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Director: Christopher Thomas Allen
Producer: Annie Kwan
Editor: Johnny Halifax
Artists: Brede Korsmo, Robert Pyecroft-Rainbow
Animation: blinkinLAB, Toby Harris & Tim Cowie
Audio Production: Jude Greenaway