“Right Here, Right Now” Artist Talk by Russ RuBert on First Friday

ideaXfactory will be hosting “Right Here, Right Now” Signature Series artist talk by Russ RuBert on Friday, June 7 at 5:30 p.m. Afterwards we will be open until 10 p.m. for public performances, painting and soundscapes with the Harmonic Wall.

Launching a new “Signature Series” of artist talks profiling local talent in the Springfield community, Russ RuBert will give an artist talk about his creation and innovation of The Harmonic Wall site-specific installation at the ideaXfactory.

After the talk, the Harmonic Wall will remain open until 10 p.m. for community participation to activate the neon art and musical installation at the ideaXfactory at 351 N. Boonville Ave.

The installation is a 12′ by 27′ Neon Wall created by artist Russ RuBert that responds to sound, motion, light, and a sonic paintbrush. RuBert is a nationally known artist that is recognized locally for creating the Kinetic Man in Jordan Vally Park and EchoSphere on the MSU Campus.

New for this event, the artist has invented and will show a instrument that uses light to control pitch. “It is reading the light waves bouncing off your hand. I’m using two led’s for each tone, one for a sharper note and one with a bit of fuzz. A third area controls volume, reverb, and wave form through five octaves,” said RuBert.

A second unusual interface is a paintbrush that creates sound when it comes in contact with human touch and water. For this First Friday it will also have a few new tones. “A swath of color makes a crazy sound that the artist can control through how and what they paint,” said RuBert.

The third interface to the wall is a sound connection that uses a microphone to light 10 bands of neon and five bands of LED’s.

Together all three interfaces create a combined performance that lights the neon wall. Sometimes the sounds are sweet, but other times they are spacey, wild, and unpredictable. “People must work together in order to control the wall with all three interfaces for it to be truly harmonic,” said RuBert.

So please come to watch and listen and join in the collaborative performance to light the Harmonic Wall.