The group was founded in 1991 by Matt Adams, Niki Jewett, Will Kittow and Ju Row Farr. The group is currently led by Matt Adams, Ju Row Farr and Nick Tandavanitj. Other members include the film maker John Hardwick and performer Jamie Iddon. Over its history, Blast Theory's work has explored interactivity and the social and political aspects of technology through a multitude of forms – using performance, installation, video, mobile and online technologies. Currently based at their studios in Portslade, Blast Theory tours nationally and internationally, working with a number of Associate Artists on different projects. The group has collaborated with The University of Nottingham's Mixed Reality Lab since 1998. Works created collaboratively with the MRL include Desert Rain, Can You See Me Now? and Rider Spoke. Blast Theory's work has been shown at NTT InterCommunication Center in Tokyo, the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Biennale, National Museum in Taiwan, Hebbel Theater in Berlin, Basel Art Fair, Dutch Electronic Arts Festival, Sónar Festival in Barcelona, and Palestine International Video Festival. Recent commissions include You Get Me at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for Deloitte Ignite '08, and Ulrike and Eamon Compliant for the De La Warr Pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale. In 2015 the group launched Karen, an app that psychologically profiles the user.
Approach
Blast Theory's artists describe their work as collaborative and interdisciplinary. With early works such as Gunmen Kill Three and Chemical Wedding fitting more in the category of live and performance art, Desert Rain saw a shift towards work that aims to question performativity, site and presence. Works such as Can You See Me Now?, a game of chase through real and virtual city streets, have seen Blast Theory mix video games and performance, with Can You See Me Now? and You Get Me being open to a worldwide audience via the internet. Recent work uses mobile technologies such as text messaging, MMS messaging and 3G phones with the aim of "exploring how technology might be considered to create new cultural spaces in which the work is customised and personalised for each participant".
2001 – International Media Art Award, ZKM Centre for Arts and Media, Karlsruhe, nominated for Kidnap
2001 – Transmediale Awards, Berlin, Honorary Mention for Desert Rain
2000 – Interactive Arts BAFTA Award, nominated for Desert Rain
2000 – Breakthrough Award for Innovation, nominated, Arts Council England
1999 – The 18 Creative Freedom Awards, nominated for Kidnap
1996 – Winner of the Barclays New Stages Award, for Something American
Key reading
Steve Benford, Rob Anastasi, Martin Flintham, Adam Drozd, Andy Crabtree, Chris Greenhalgh, Nick Tandavanitj, Matt Adams, Ju Row-Farr, 'Can You See Me Now?', Pervasive Computing, No.3, Volume 2, July/September 2003, pp. 49–51
