Vello Edmund Virkhaus is a leading figure in the contemporary electronic music and multi media visual art scene. He has written numerous articles on VJ’ing, concert visuals and content creation. He has received industry wide sponsorship, support, marketing and has been extensively published. Virkhaus was born in Rochester New York, and raised in Kalamazoo Michigan. His art studies began at an early age, including special studies with his grandfather, Dord Fitz, Elaine DeKooning, and many more. Upon graduation from high school, he went to Kansas City Art Institute in 1991 to study Fine Arts. While at KCAI he became captivated by animation and video art, and switched schools, heading to The School of The Art Institute of Chicago to pursue a more cutting edge, multimedia bachelors degree. He graduated with a BFA in 1995, specializing in art and technology studies, winning numerous competitions for placement of his multimedia installations around the city of Chicago.

Before he was 21 years old, he formed one of the first VJ Arts companies in America, O.V.T.--short for Optique Video Tek. The key members of this organization helped to pioneer live video mixing in America’s electronic music culture. The first performances integrated earlier psychedelic light show techniques of oil and water, 16mm film loops, combined with video animation, mixing and projection elements. After years of collaboration with O.V.T., Virkhaus moved from Chicago to Hollywood California and started his own studio, called V Squared Labs in 2000. The start of V Squared Labs propelled Vello’s solo career as a VJ and Director to the next level.

Some of the first projects that helped launch his solo career were the #1 selling, Korn Duece DVD, Korn NY Live DVD, and the Korn Untouchables Concert Tour Visuals. This stream of totally edgy, dark and experimental work took Virkhaus into an entirely new arena of visual entertainment. The team developed and shot 6 screen, 360 degree visuals. Over an hour long interactive visual horror movie was created to be played live on the concert tour. Lighting, video and sound where all polarized together. VJ’ing magnetized with lighting media server growth, technological visual revolution.

The years following Korn’s breakthrough projects continued to yield major growth and stunning creations. Vello VJ’d and directed multi screen visuals for Billy Idol’s “Scream” music video. Next, he directed the animations and created audio reactive visuals for Coldplay’s “Speed Of Sound” Music Video, which was nominated for MTVs 2005 Best Visual FX Award. Virkhaus work evolved into even more synaesthetic visual music, design compositions. Collaborations with Mark Romaneck, Jeff Stein, Artfag, Mike Keeling and many more directors continued to expand.

Virkhaus, becoming a specialist in environmental, multiscreen content was approached to create and direct the High Definition concert visuals for Bon Jovi’s “Have A Nice Day” tour in Late 2005. This was one of the first utilizations of high definition LED technology, and visuals, on a concert tour in the world. March 2005 brought the collaboration and creation of Sv2 presents: DJ Sandra Collins & Vello Virkhaus. Sv2 is a live visual music performance. This has been hailed as one of the most interesting DJ/VJ collaborations, and the most successful yet in the electronic music industry. The collaboration is ongoing, and has seen the creation of over 70 visual music animation pieces, which are live mixed on Pioneer DVD turntables.

2006 continued to evolve V Squared Labs and brought Virkhaus his first feature film visual effects direction project from Newline Cinema. The job was to recreate and enhance the effects from Alex Proyas’s sci fi classic, Dark City. Alex Proyas upon completion exclaimed “V2, you all rock! You guys have made the Dark City directors cut really sing! After all these years, seeing so many shots improved and others completed finally is enough to bring a small tear to a director's eye. I really appreciate the passion and energy everyone's put into this...” V Squared Labs Inc also created a massive multiscreen audio visual content package for one of Las Vegas’s hottest new nightclubs, Moon.

2007 was an absolutely stunning year for v2 securely placing him on the map as a director with his groundbreaking concert visual designs for Diddy, Snoop, The Police and 50 cent. Sv2 was featured on the cover of DJ Times magazine, and received numerous amazing press and performance opportunities.

2008 has been an incredibly busy and life changing year for Vello. Sandra Collins and Vello Virkhaus have a daughter now, born Vie Leelu Virkhaus on January 28, 2008. Sv2 played Coachella music festival this year, putting on a smashing performance. This was Sandra’s first show since the birth of Vie, and featured several new videos produced for the set, one directed by Bunny of Rabbit In The Moon and Virkhaus together, featured a Morgan Page track. Virkhaus also completed direction of a major commercial experience design contract for Pioneer. This was one of the first advertising agency directing contracts awarded to V Squared Labs Inc by client TBWA Chiat/Day in many years! The project featured numerous HD visual art pieces, which were used internally, at trade shows and special events around the world. The Pioneer “Passion” work let Virkhaus’ talent as a live action and animation director shine. Pioneer’s new products were filmed in HD, creating luscious animated product lightscapes wrapped in computer graphics ribbons and lightrays. 2008 has also seen the completion of a concert visual design package for The Crystal Method, and the new club Rok Vegas. Virkhaus is currently focusing on his Direction and Performance Environment Design for the Paul Oakenfold year long PALMS residency project.