Bio
Carl Emil Carlsen (b. 1982, Denmark) is an artist and designer exploring the expressive potential of computation in live audiovisual interactive experiences.
Situated in mixed reality, his recent works investigate the odd sensations and bewilderment that arise when simulated generative systems manifest in physical space and integrate as embodied experiences. His visual aesthetics and underlying processes continue to seek inspiration in the displays of Nature, biological systems, and natural phenomena, as they are interpreted into a form of artificial nature. Visual music is a reoccurring topic of interest, and he often works closely with composers and musicians to explore new forms of interplay between sound and computational animation.
His productions have recently been featured at Ars Electronica (AT), CPH:DOX (DK), Art & Tech Days (SK), and Nikolaj Kunsthal (DK). In 2024, he received the, first of its kind, CPH:DOX INTER:ACTIVE Award for the mixed-reality experience Intangible. In 2023, the Reumert Special Award, and Ars Electronica Honorary Mention for the theatre production SH4DOW, for which he developed interactive 3D videography.
CV
Awards
- 2024 INTER:ACTIVE Award, Intangible, CPH:DOX.
- 2023 Honorary Mention (Artificial Intelligence & Life Art), SH4DOW, Ars Electronica.
- 2023 Reumert Special Award, SH4DOW, Årets Reumert.
- 2014 Hackathon winner, Artscope, Hack4DK. National Gallery of Denmark.
Performances
- 2024 SH4DOW @ H.C. Andersen Festivals, Magasinet, Odense.
- 2024 SH4DOW @ Neues Theater, Halle.
- 2024 SH4DOW @ White Hole Theater, Viborg.
- 2024 SH4DOW @ Highlight Delft, Theater de Veste, Delft.
- 2023 SH4DOW @ Helsingborg Stadsteater, Helsingborg.
- 2023 SH4DOW @ Teatros del Canal, Madrid.
- 2023 SH4DOW @ Aveny T, Copenhagen.
- 2022 SH4DOW @ Ars Electronica Festival, Linz.
- 2022 SH4DOW @ Dunkers, Helsingborg.
- 2021 SH4DOW @ The Culture Yard, Elsinore.
- 2020 SH4DOW @ Ars Electronica Festival, Linz.
- 2019 Silicium - Primordial @ Art & Text Days, Kunsthalle, Kosice.
- 2019 Nordic Fractals @ Klang Festival, Koncertkirken, Copenhagen.
- 2019 Silicium 04 @ CPH Stage, Pakhus 11, Copenhagen.
- 2019 Silicium - Primordial @ CPH:DOX, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen.
- 2018 Silicium 04 @ Ars Electronica Festival, Lentos Art Museum, Linz.
- 2018 Silicium 04 @ Click Festival, The Culture Yard, Helsingør.
- 2017 Silicium 03 @ Click Festival, The Culture Yard, Helsingør.
- 2016 Silicium 02 @ Click Festival, The Culture Yard, Helsingør.
- 2015 Silicium 01 @ Click Festival, The Culture Yard, Helsingør.
- 2014 Naesus @ Naesus 3, Tycho Brahe Planetarium, Copenhagen.
- 2014 Orphx Live @ ROI 13, Mayhem, Copenhagen.
Exhibitions
- 2024 Intangible @ Immersive Section, Thessaloniki Film Festival.
- 2024 Intangible @ Néo-matérialités, Le Cube Garges.
- 2024 Intangible @ CPH:DOX, Kunsthal Charlottenborg.
- 2023 Intangible @ RIXC.
- 2016 Colony 02 @ Hybrid Matters, Nikolaj Kunsthal.
- 2015 Silicium 02 (Screening) @ ARTE/SCIENZA/BIOTECNOLOGIA, Palazzo Costanzi.
- 2015 Synaesthetic Experiments @ Urban Collection, Digital Interactive Art Space (DIAS).
- 2014 Colony 02 @ Annual meeting, Danish Agency for Culture.
- 2014 Seasonal Skin @ Click Festival, The Culture Yard.
- 2014 Voxelized Virgin @ Bring Your Own Beamer (BYOB), The National Museum of Denmark.
- 2014 Has-Been Trash Bin @ Art Hack Day, Transmediale.
- 2011 Colony 01 @ Bring Your Own Beamer (BYOB), Nikolaj Kunsthal.
- 2010 Metroplex @ New Media Days, Carlsberg Tap2.
- 2009 Life-Like @ Notch, Sanlitun Village.
- 2009 Infested Area @ KURS The Lake, Sorø Kunstmuseum.
- 2008 Metasyn @ Total Action, Museum of Contemporary Art.
- 2008 Nerve @ eARTS, Feng Shui Omniscience Stage.
- 2008 Nerve @ SPOR Festival, Århus Musikhus.
- 2007 Lightbender 02 @ Sound Around, Københavns Musikteater.
- 2007 Word Rain @ Roskilde Festival, Spoken Word Stage.
- 2007 Lightbender 01 @ Social Aktion, Museum of Contemporary Art.
- 2007 Soundcatcher @ Sonic Playground, Western Front.
- 2006 Life-Like & Splash Screen @ Kontur Festival, Københavns Musikteater.
- 2006 Life-Like @ Half Machine, Grey Hall.
- 2006 Splash Screen @ Dansens Dag, ARoS Århus Kunstmuseum.
- 2005 Infected Area @ DiGi-wave, DGI-byen.
- 2005 Scattered Stories @ RAMA, Århus Musikhus.
- 2004 Splash Screen @ Kontur festival, DGI-byen.
- 2004 Splash Screen & Star Gate @ Half Machine, Grey Hall.
- 2004 Splash Screen @ Nordic Music Days, Borups Højskole.
- 2003 Electronic music instruments @ Half Machine, Gray Hall.
Talks
- 2024 Presentation @ ITU Digital Design MA.
- 2024 Presentation @ Danish Actors' Association.
- 2024 Presentation @ Grasp Festival Makers Summit, Musicon.
- 2023 Artist Talk @ Art & Tech Days Conference, Kulturpark, Alfa.
- 2023 Artist Talk @ RIXC Festival 2023, RIXC.
- 2021 Artist Talk @ Processing Community Day, Royal Danish Academy.
- 2020 Artist Talk @ Royal Danish Academy.
- 2019 Artist Talk @ Unite Copenhagen.
- 2019 Panel discussion @ Danish Visual Artists.
- 2018 Artist talk @ Visual Game & Media Design, KADK.
- 2018 Artist talk @ DJBFA, Jolene.
- 2017 Presentation @ Hack4DK, Enigma Museum.
- 2017 Artist talk @ Strøm Festival, Meat District.
- 2016 Ignite talk @ KEA Digital.
- 2016 Lecture @ The Danish National School of Performance Arts.
- 2014 Artist talk @ QA Ring (Quanta Arts Foundation).
- 2014 Ignite talk @ Hack4DK, National Gallery of Denmark.
- 2013 Talk @ Design2Innovate, Design School Kolding.
- 2013 Artist talk @ Kunsthøjskolen.
- 2012 Artist talk @ Bits & Beers, Republikken.
- 2010 Artist talk @ Kunsthøjskolen.
- 2010 Introduction @ Netfilmmakers, Kunsthal Charlottenborg.
- 2007 Artist talk @ Machine-Raum.
- 2005 Artist talk @ The Art of the Overhead.
Residencies
- 2023 European Media Art Platform (EMAP) @ RIXC.
- 2011 Huskunstnerordningen @ Kontoret for Kunst i Byen, Ballerup municipality.
Teaching
- Royal Danish Academy - Design
- 2024 Design + Code
- 2020 Data visualisation using Unity
- 2017 Sound visualisation & Peppers Ghost CATCH workshop
- 2012 Procedural From & Sound Materialisation using Unity
- 2010 Data Visualisation using Processing
- 2010 Interactive Sound using Max/MSP
- European Creators Lab
- 2022 Mentor on the Prototyping Lab workshop
- Roskilde University - Computer Science
- 2020 Essential Computing 1
- Sonic College
- 2020 Sonic Visuals using Ableton Live + Unity
- 2013 Interactive audio using Unity
- 2012 Interactive audio using Unity
- Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design - CIID
- 2019 Programming for designers using Processing
- 2019 Programming for designers using Processing
- 2014 Programming for designers using Processing
- Design School Kolding
- 2017 Graphics Programming using Unity
- 2012 Video Projection Mapping
- 2012 Programming for designers using Unity
- 2011 Drawing with code using Javascript
- 2011 AV Instruments using MaxMSP/Jitter
- 2011 Robotics design for hospitals
- 2009 Drawing with code using Processing
- 2008 Drawing with code using Processing
- Independent workshops
- 2015 Peppers Ghost @ Sifenlv (Beijing)
- 2013 Procedural Form Marathon @ Science Friction (Copenhagen)
- Quanta Arts Foundation & Ars Electronica (QA) Ring
- 2014 Mentor on on Unbreakable City by Scarecrow Contemporary Dance Company
- Copenhagen University, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies
- 2011 Lecture on sound visualisation
- Sound Field - Soundscape workshop
- 2011 Tonespace (Esbjerg)
- 2011 Bredagerskolen (Jelling)
- 2010 Tove Ditlevsens Skolen (Copenhagen)
- 2006 Islands Brygge skole (Copenhagen)
- Kunsthøjskolen
- 2008 Summer course teacher assistent in music and video (5 years)
Consulting
- ARTificial Mind
- 2024 Interactive graphics for the launch of super computer Gefion.
- PauseAble
- 2024 Multiuser prototypes.
- 2017 Prototypes and updates.
- 2016 AR prototype.
- Makropol
- 2024 Gaussian Splattering R&D on the Dark Rooms VR production.
- 2022 Technical art & art direction on Empty Seat VR prototype.
- 2021 Interactive graphics for Artificial Awakening VR performance.
- 2021 Interactive graphics for End of Night VR film.
- 2021 Interactive graphics for Taste of Hunger VR (Oculus Quest 2).
- 2020 Interactive graphics for Taste of Hunger VR (Oculus Quest).
- 2017 Interactive graphics for symphonic VR visual music Open Orchestra (HTC Vive).
- 2016 Interactive timeline tools for VR film Eve (HTC Vive).
- Unity Technologies
- 2023 Generative graphics.
- Realfiction
- 2022 Research & Development.
- Very Theatre
- 2022 Setting up Chronicle of Lightyear, National Taichung Theatre.
- Yoke
- 2021 Various in-house interactive installations, LEGO.
- 2012 Interactive fish pond, The Blue Planet.
- 2010 Interactive installation, Glasmuseet Ebeltoft.
- 2009 Optimising Dandelion, interactive installation, V&A Museum London.
- Danish Design Center
- 2021 Generative motion graphics for Living Futures.
- Ustwo
- 2021 Prototyping, IKEA.
- 2016 Prototyping, LEGO.
- 2015 Prototyping Playdoh Touch, Hasbro.
- 2015 Prototyping Hanazuki, Hasbro.
- The Culture Yard
- 2019 Interactive graphics for theatre production Chronicle of Light Year, Very Theatre.
- 2015 Interactive graphics for theatre production Hamlet's labyrinth.
- Superbright
- 2021 AR prototyping.
- Make
- 2019 Generative visual identity app, confidential client.
- The Royal Danish Theatre
- 2019 Interactive graphics for the piece Menneskebyrden, Stages of Science.
- 2014 Interactive installation displayed at Copenhagen Airport.
- Vertigo (former Obscura)
- 2020 Procedural tree prototype for virtual production, Vodaphone.
- 2018 Interactive graphics for Gloria stage, Roskilde festival.
- 2017 Interactive graphics for Gloria stage, Roskilde festival.
- 2017 Interactive set design, Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR).
- The Alexandra Institute
- 2017 Multi-display installation Alssund Model.
- 2007 Interactive christmas card.
- Danish Technical University (DTU)
- 2014 Data visualisation, Euroscience Open Forum conference.
- Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR)
- 2013 In-house generative screen saver.
- 2013 Generative graphics for set design.
- Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID)
- 2013 Data visualisation.
- 2012 Data visualisation.
- 2012 Data visualisation.
- Oxfam IBIS
- 2013 Online campain for youth in Sierra Leone.
- 2013 Online campain against child labor in African gold mines.
- Dark Matters
- 2013 Procedural animation, Castle Museum in Vordingborg.
- 2012 Interactive graphics, Novo Nordisk.
- 2012 Large scale interactive video projection, Roskilde Festival.
- Audioflow
- 2011 Interactive music composition tool.
- Simon Steen Andersen
- 2011 Interactive audiovisual improvisation instrument.
- Rimini Protokoll
- 2010 Procedural content for Best Before, Push Festival.
- Music To Use
- 2010 Browsing interface concept and GUI design.
- etrans
- 2010 Interactive audio for electric car installation.
- JDS Architects
- 2008 Prototyping of customised keynote software.
- Prosa
- 2007 Redesign and implementation of website.
- Shift Control Studios
- 2006 Simulated projection for flag store in LA, Prada.
Education
- 2008 MA @ Interactive Media, Design School Kolding.
- 2007 Exchange semester @ Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design.
- 2006 Internship @ Art+Com.
- 2003 Semester @ Multimedia Design, Copenhagen School of Design and Technology (KEA).
- 2002 Semester @ Technology & Communication, Next (Former KTS).
- 2002 Semester @ Kunsthøjskolen.
- 2001 High School @ Ingrid Jespersens Gymnasium.
Grants
- 2023 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Visual Arts. For EMAP residency.
- 2021 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Design. For artistic VR experiments.
- 2017 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Music and Drama. For Silicium 04.
- 2016 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Music and Drama. For Silicium 03.
- 2015 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Music and Drama. For Silicium 02.
- 2015 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Visual Arts. For Silicium 01.
- 2009 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Visual Arts. For the continuation of artistic work.
- 2009 Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Visual Arts. For Infested Area.
Publications
- 2009 Art magazine story, Apparatur 19. About Nerve.
- 2009 Book chapter, RE_ACTION, The Digital Archive Experience. About Metasyn.