On February 18th, Refraction partnered with Singapore's insurgent rave collective, Endless Return, for an event that explored audio and visual art situated at the boundary of technology. The event—organized by members XUE, Hilary Yeo, and Mervin Wong—took place in Rumah Api, Kuala Lumpur's renowned (and notorious) DIY punk space and combined performances from musicians and DJs alongside the creation of NFTs by artists. True to the mandate of both Endless Return and Refraction, the event brought together some of Southeast Asia's rising musical and visual talents with those exploring the possibility of blockchain technology.
The result was the beginnings of an experimental artistic utopia. The music ran the gamut from the broken club tunes of rEmPiT g0dDe$$ to the post-rock stylings of Rudi Osman, while artists including the 3D sculptor JJ Low to digital avatar silversmith Skene Milne created NFTs. Across the event, these artists asked what possibilities emerged when we begin building new worlds across audio, visual, and technological platforms. For five hours, both the artists and audience created a space for dialogue pushing the very fabric of what an aesthetic experience can and should be.
The fruits of this labor are still available to be viewed and purchased. Please use the below links to explore the NFTs that were created during this event.
Artists Connie Bakshi and Ellie Pritts reflect on how AI influences their work and perspectives on storytelling, identity, and the evolving role of the artist following their curation in Livepeer x Refraction's Limitless AI exhibit in Bangkok.
