Abadir & Nicolo Cervello present ”Kitbashing”

Official Trailer

Kitbashing is an audiovisual performance by electronic music producer Abadir and media artist Nicolo Cervello. The project began as a commission by 25AV, a pan-European platform for audiovisual arts and performance supported by Kiosk Radio, Radio Raheem, and Radio 80000. After a ten-day residency in Brussels in October 2023, the work premiered in a shorter format at iMAL (Brussels), Zirka (Munich), and Triennale (Milan). In 2024, the artists expanded Kitbashing into a full-length 45-minute A/V show, with its world premiere at Lunchmeat Festival in September 2024. The accompanying album is set for release in 2025 on SVBKVLT.

Kitbashing explores the relationship between human engagement with digital content and the mechanisms of social media. Using sound fragments sourced from Instagram reels, suggested posts, and sponsored ads, the performance turns algorithmically driven content into an artistic statement. It transforms the compulsive nature of digital consumption into a rich, immersive experience that reflects on the feedback loop between human attention and algorithmic curation.

Artist Bios

Abadir (EG) Abadir is a Cairo-born, Berlin-based electronic music producer known for his innovative approach to sound design and genre fusion. With releases on SVBKVLT and other experimental labels, his work blends club music, Arabic rhythms, and avant-garde electronica. In Kitbashing, he reconfigures digital detritus into an intricate sound collage that mirrors the frenetic and hypnotic nature of online engagement.

Nicolo Cervello (IT) Nicolo Cervello is an Italian media artist specializing in real-time 3D environments and sound-reactive visuals. His work examines the intersection of industrial aesthetics and organic forms, often repurposing digital debris into immersive visual experiences. For Kitbashing, Cervello’s visuals—designed in Unreal Engine—translate the project’s sonic elements into a dynamic, ever-shifting digital landscape.

Performance Format

Kitbashing is a tightly integrated audiovisual experience where both sound and visuals are composed from fragmented digital elements. Abadir performs the sonic component live, layering and manipulating micro-edited samples sourced from online platforms. Cervello, using a reactive visual system, generates 3D visuals that morph in response to the music, creating a constantly evolving digital environment.

Visual Elements

The visual component of Kitbashing is built from a vast library of collected 3D objects—industrial structures, metallic frameworks, and organic materials—that have been digitally repurposed. These elements are woven together into a virtual space that mimics the chaotic and repetitive nature of online content consumption. The result is a world that feels both artificial and strangely familiar, a reflection of the hyperreal landscapes of social media.

Conceptual Framework

Kitbashing interrogates the pervasive influence of algorithm-driven media consumption. Social media platforms encourage endless scrolling, trapping users in an attention economy where time spent online is monetized. The performance turns this process on its head, using algorithm-fed content as raw material for artistic subversion. The erratic pacing, sudden shifts, and hypnotic loops of the performance simulate the experience of navigating digital space, offering a critical reflection on how content is consumed and manipulated in the contemporary digital era.

Technical Requirements

Large-screen projection or LED wall

High-powered sound system

Lighting design adaptable to dark environments

Computer setup for real-time audiovisual processing

Performance History

Kitbashing premiered in its full-length form at Lunchmeat Festival 2024, with previous iterations presented at iMAL, Zirka, and Triennale. The work continues to evolve, with upcoming performances planned for various international festivals.

Ideal presentation contexts include:

Festivals and events focused on audiovisual performance

New media and digital art exhibitions

Electronic and experimental music festivals

Programs exploring the intersection of technology and art

booking contact : michelle@potnia-theron.de