On October 15th and 16th, 2011, the Creators Project, a collaboration between Intel and VICE Media, hosted a landmark art and technology festival in DUMBO, Brooklyn. The festival featured a vibrant lineup of live music performances from artists such as Florence + the Machine, A$AP Rocky, Atlas Sound, Company Flow, Four Tet, Chairlift, and John Maus. The event was free and open to the public, offering two outdoor stages, an indoor DJ hub, a selection of food and beverages from the Brooklyn Flea, and numerous art installations and films across 11 DUMBO venues.
The event also showcased the culmination of the Creators Project year-long collaborations with various artists and creative projects, which had previously debuted at international events, including Coachella, and shows in Seoul and Beijing. Many of these artworks had toured globally throughout the summer, most notably the final adaptation of UVA’s audio-visual sculpture, featuring a soundtrack by Scanner, which was then their largest responsive work.
The festival also featured Jonathan Glazer and J. Spaceman’s immersive sound installation, Mick Rock and Barney Clay’s David Bowie transfiguration, and Quayola’s “Strata #4.” Additionally, new installations from artists discovered through the Creators Project Gallery and winning interactive works from their Art Hack Weekend were unveiled.
JDSS & Associates and Joel Fitzpatrick Studios provided technical production consulting and on-site support for all artist projects and immersive visualization installations for the entire festival. A highlight of that work and of the festival was “Life on Mars Revisited,” a collaboration between film director Barney Clay and rock photographer Mick Rock. This project reimagined David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” performance using 16mm footage that had been stored for 30 years in Mick Rock’s garage.
Barney Clay directed a 4-channel video installation using the original footage and outtakes from Mick Rock’s “Life on Mars” video. Clay worked with The Mill to enhance the footage with visual effects and experimental elements. This installation had traveled the world with the Creators Project, receiving acclaim in cities like Paris and Sao Paulo.
“Life on Mars?” is a celebrated song by David Bowie, a highlight of his 1971 album Hunky Dory. Conceived as a playful response to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” the song was recorded on August 6, 1971, at London’s Trident Studios, co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott. The recording featured Bowie’s backing band, including Mick Ronson on guitar and string arrangements, Trevor Bolder on bass, Mick Woodmansey on drums, and Rick Wakeman of Strawbs on piano.
Widely regarded as one of Bowie’s greatest achievements and a timeless classic, “Life on Mars?” has garnered critical acclaim for Bowie’s vocal prowess and songwriting. The song’s title inspired the British television series Life on Mars, and it has appeared in various films and television productions. Notable covers have been recorded by artists such as Barbra Streisand, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails. Following Bowie’s death in 2016, “Life on Mars?” became a frequent and poignant tribute to his legacy.
