Eric Joris

Eric_Joris082

Eric Joris was born in Antwerp, 1955. He studied filmmaking, visual arts, economics and industrial design, started making strips (bandes dessinées) i.e. “Chelsy” and “Les Cuisiniers Dangereux” (1991). With the arrival of the digital drawing tablet, internet and computer games Joris went into new media, experimenting with these on a theatre scene (“Kammerspiel”, “Kaufhaus Inferno”, 1995). From 2000 on he focused on  theatrical environment, using multimedia as a prosthesis – a paraphlegic actor was connected to robots and multimedia (“Icarus”, “Philoctetes”). Launched the collective CREW, an artistic vehicle for his experiments, composed of scientists and artists. In “Crash” (2004) the group developed immersive technology together with the University of Hasselt: an entirely new theatrical concept made visitors become the protagonists, “performing” at the inside of the image and sound, at the heart of the experience (projects 2006-2010: “U_raging standstill”, “EUX”, “O_Rex”, “W_Headswap”, “Line-Up”, “C.A.P.E.”). Internationally recognised as pioneers in immersive theatre, Eric Joris and his team also participate in European and international academic and technological research programmes (i.e. 2020_3D Media, IBBT/Explorative TV,..). At steirischer herbst 2011 CREW stages their new play “Terra Nova”.

Web: http://www.crewonline.org