This project comes 19 years after the " Swim Across the Atlantic Ocean" and is the continuation and development of the motivations and significance of the earlier project. The methods and means have changed considerably: in 1982 the swimming pool of the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was used during a five day voyage from Southampton to New York, this time the setting is a commercial aircraft flying from San Francisco to Tokyo. No water is involved, Alzek Misheff's virtual strokes take place inside a lightweight, easily dismantled cage built by Sidney Fels hanging amidst the passengers and the other participants of the project.

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Informative Stage

The project was launched with the distribution of the CD and the concert "Music for the Swim Across the Pacific Ocean" held in the Franco Parenti theatre in Milan on 23rd December 1999. In this same theatre 20 years earlier, the "Swim Across the Atlantic Ocean" was launched with a performance of the same name.As with the previous project, this stage foresees various performances, concerts, editions of works and other events aimed at divulging the idea on which the project is based and on encouraging other artists to share their ideas .( Following the invitation to the Venice Biennial 2000 and the relative concert, a new CD titled "The Swimmers quintet" is in the final stages of completion.) This first stage ends with a performance and exhibition in San Francisco before take off organised by 'Other minds', a San Francisco organisation involved in the whole project.

Performing Stage

During the 12 hour flight, Alzek Misheff will swim in a virtual fashion whilst playing his favourite instrument, the Lightning II, accompanied by his group "The swimmers quintet " consisting of vocals, viola, bass clarinet and spinet. Each performance and each means of expression by the various participants is scheduled according to a detailed program. Part of the aeroplanes 12 radio channels have been reserved for the project and, with the help of new technology other connections will be available to each performer according to their specific needs. All participants will be dressed in uniform - a yukata designed by the artist Sachiyo Takahashi. Various events are foreseen including poetry or prose, 'traditional' arts and new arts, culinary arts or fluksus and, we hope, other unknown forms of art.

Exhibition Stage

The characteristics of this stage depend largely on the preceding stages and above all, on the ideas emerging and the original artistic creations produced during the Pacific crossing. The "Asahi" newspaper has already published an article on the project by the journalist Sanzo Tanaka.

Skills and Experience Useful for developing this project

• OpenGL
• Tcl/Tk
• Linear Algebra (Euler Angles)
• 3D Modeling
• User interface design
• Virtual Reality

Further Resources

For more background info on SAP, visit:

• Swimming Across the Pacific
• Old Swimming Across the Pacific page

Contact Information