Ryoji Ikeda, datamatics [ver.2.0]

I was able to see Ryoji Ikeda’s datamatics [ver.2.0] performance at Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam yesterday evening. In contrast to the exhibition of his work in the same building, the performance was an intense, violent affair. Percussive, sometimes gale-force sound combined with percussive imagery generated from a familiar palette of grids, counters, crosshairs, scanning lines and clouds of scrolling, swirling and aligning data-points, often with seemingly meaningful genetic, molecular and astronomical labels.

Ear plugs were graciously handed out before entering. It was thrilling.

I have to admit the phrase endurance piece did cross my mind once or twice during the performance — for me, not any performer.

Not everyone stayed until the end. The woman next to me left after about twenty minutes.

As soon as the performance ended and the theater was quiet, a Dutch man in the audience exclaimed Jesus Christus! The audience laughed. It was the kind of relieved, joyous laugh one uses as a release after the thrill-ride is over.

I’d do it again.

The Art Critic Ryoji Ikeda at Eye Film Museum