Icelanders have a unique opportunity of going out for a short while on Saturday with the help of technology and the unique collaboration between artists and research scientists in Iceland, the United Kingdom and Taiwan. This event is part of a research project at the University of Iceland connected to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on art life in Iceland.
Most countries in the world, including Iceland, have been dealing with an increased number of corona infections with the limitations on gatherings it entails, which has its effect on both cultural and economic life. This does, however, not apply to the island of Taiwan off the coast of China as the local government has been able to keep the virus at bay for a while now, which means that the inhabitants can gather and party.
To allow more people to enjoy the freedom of the Taiwanese; Icelandic, Taiwanese, and British artists and research scientists have joined hands and organised the event Out of Sync that takes place at the same time in the gallery Mengi at Óðinsgata 2, and on the dance floor in FUL in Taipei on Saturday.
The event takes place between 4 and 6 P.M. in Iceland when the clock is midnight to 2 A.M. in the morning in Taiwan. Guests in Mengi will be invited to step into a cubicle, where you will join a crowd on the Taipei dance floor under the rhythmical tones of Hermigervill and experience the atmosphere together with the performers Lin Sulian and Jian Shihan recording life from Taiwan as things are happening. The rest of the world is invited to join through a VR rendered live stream with technology from VOLTA Audio owned by Owen Hindley and Yuli Levtov.
