A Reflection

It has been just over a week since the installation and much time has passed for me to reflect upon it.

My goal was to create an synaethestic experience which took the audience on a journey that explicitly portrayed the changing of what the past space was to the present space, the Academy of Performing Arts.

It was important that I did this using techniques that visually architectured memory, construction, deconstruction and use of space all whilst keeping the audience engaged.

I believe that I achieved this, however, sound became vitally important to endorsing these themes and visual elements. Infact I found the manipulation and placement of sound the most envigorating of all the tasks.

The installation and audience engagement with it surprised me. As previously shown in my blog, the installation provided an aspect of immersion, however while I wished to have the foliage on the installation I did not percieve the feedback from the audience that I attained. Predominately most of those that experienced the installation stated the smell that arose from the foliage affected their experience and highlighted the environmental aspect of the film. Therefore my attempt at bringing the outside in did indeed work, enacting another sense being smell and for that I am truly pleased.

I believe that had I had the money, resources and time, the installation would have truly benefited from being shown within a cacoon-like apparatus, nonetheless not having any of those, I am happy with the mediated result and could not have achieved it without the help of Grant from Mediarena.

The whole experience for me was one of learning about process, techniques, neogtiation and about myself. The blog which I updated at various times I found a good way of keeping record and I enjoyed the blogging style of record keeping it gave me.

The installation on the night was busy with some people disaapointed in not having being able to have a turn and for me that in itself is worth something.

All in all I would say I could and would more than likely continuously improve the installation but was happy with the presentation on the night.

Thank the Gods for After Effects

In regard to my previous post, while technology has hindered it has also helped. I have been able to put areas of the film through after effects and subsequently created a look I am happy with. In fact it goes very well with the jack hammer looking like the result of jack hammer on concrete :)

Frustration and Fear

The nature of the beast is that it is not always going to work out right and invariably technology lets you down. Need I say anymore.

Trialing my movie using isadora and putting it on the three screens showed that it was extremely pixillated. I have had to re export and change settings twice so far, I have increased the quality but not good enough in my book as yet!

Installation Technispecifity

The project required three screens and the computers we have available can only facilitate two screens therefore we need to use two computers. Isadora is the programme used to talk between the two computers and to make Isadora talk between the two computers we needed to set up a small lan using a router.

The Power of Interruption

In making this piece I have become knowledgeable of where it is taking me and the narrative is predictable (to me) even tho it may not be to the audience. I believe it would create a more synaethestic experience to cause an interruption in the narrative, while experiencing the narrative. This interruption should still be related to the narrative but at a different level. This is done well in the current TV series Reservoir Hill with Beths Dreamscape. See TVNZ

While shooting the footage for this film I captured two Tuis playing in the treetops and as the Tui call is through the current narrative I decided to explore this more by taking the Tui footage and subverting or corrupting it to an even deeper space than that of the memory, more likely a subconscious level. For this I have used colouring effects and desaturation, which makes it different to the rest of the film footage.

ALso re enforcing the deeper level is the soundscape for this piece which is the call of the Tui, however I have slowed it down to different levels of speed.

I will embed small bits of the movie into the current narrative, to fracture time and space. The transition between the time and space will be both visually and audibly experienced by the audience with a jolt like action

Constructing the Installation

Originally I wanted to create an almost cocoon like space for the audience to enter and pass through the experience, however logistics prove to be a challenge and therefore I have adapted an earlier concept I have had.

It is important that the audience feels somewhat immersed in the experience, I want the experience to reach the peripheral edge of the eye so that it is all encompassing.

It is also important for me to bring the theme of the installation into the physical aspect and materiality is vital.

I made the decision to erect three flat wide screens at eye height, one front and one to each side, so that the peripheral vision is affected. The screens will be rested and attached to mobile panels. The panels will be disguised in the foliage of the outside such as flax and ferns which will be attached using velcro dots. The panels will then be surrounded by a second layer of mobile panels which are of similar design to exterior walls of the APA. This will also serve the purpose of hiding the required computers and cords. A set of headphones will be placed for the audience to put on.

By doing this I effectively will be bringing the outside in not only as an audio visual representation but also as a physical representation

Soundscape

I believe that sound is affectual, in that with the added form of sound to a visual experience, you not only enhance the experience for the audience but create pictures within the mind, which in effect creates an implicit layering of the experience within the mind of the audience.

Finding the correct sounds for this project has been a challenge. The soundscape I wanted to create would both incorporate the past sounds of the bush particularly the sound of the Tui, the sound of the construction of the APA and the sounds that now emanate from the APA space.

In constructing the soundscape I had to incorporate aspects that represented memory all the while considering the process of change to the space and how could I create this so that the audience experiences this. It is important that time is represented and this is difficult to do, however, if you think about the time it takes for a forest to form and exist with its inhabitants and then the very small time in comparison to deconstruct it to then construct a space of performance, I needed to not only visually represent this but using the soundscape allow the audience to feel this.

Therefore I used various soundclips from online sound stores, these include, violins, cellos, piano, jack hammers, construction vehicles working etc. To gather the forest sounds I was able to access recording by conservationists on Kapiti Island.

I then layered all the sound filtering over each other at specific times to represent the transition through time and space.

Particularly in the third part of the sequence I have used the effect of echo on sound as time and space converge closer, with the voices sung in the APA appearing the forest scene.

Taking into account the space for which I will be installing this piece and how it will be installed, I will be using headphones as part of the installation which the audience will individually wear, hence the installation will be experienced by no more than two people at a time. I will place two headphone sets for use at the same time.

This is also important as some people would be more comfortable experiencing an installation like this with someone else.

The effect I have used here clearly shows the architectural drawing form used when constructing buildings. I think it is important to use this style as it is an art form in itself. The movement of the image slowly builds to construct the building which finishes as a photo image I have taken

Here is an example of how I wish to portray the transcendence between the old and the new. the then and now

This is an image example of how I will be representing the 'building' of the APA

The image here is an example of the memory effect I am trying to gain for the past use of the space

Enlargening the Dream

Today I saw Super Nature at Sparc and my dreams were reignited!. They were awesome I really enjoyed their creativness in interactive media and their use of materiality both for inspiration and as part of the installation.

Securing myself through Viola

The reading by Holy Rogers (2006) on the installations of Bill Viola, highlighted for me a very real approach to my work, the fact that video installation creators are often both artist and composer which I have always believed.

Viola's exploration into the manipulation of duration, evident apparently in Anthem, is something that I generally apply to my pieces and is something I will be exploring more within the 'entering the void' scenes of my creation.

I have decided to work first on the Outside In piece, but my exploration of the topic has seen it expand somewhat to the visual representation of the land space changing, from its original form with birds and trees to the Academy of Performing Arts. In doing so I hope to represent the changes through entering a void space reflecting change and begin to morph and replace sounds such as birds singing to voices singing. I hope to use techniques such as jolting and colouration of the film to represent memory particularly of the past land space. The rhythm of the film both through visual editing and sound, will be constructed to create an awareness and heightening of time a technique also used by Viola.

I found alot about Viola's work helpful, especially in highlighting as a Visual Artist, I have shared thoughts and processes.

The image shown, is a piece of work by Bill Viola which portrays environmental some environmental imagery. I retrieved the image from http://www.shift.jp.org/en/archives/2008/02/francois_pinault_passage_du_temps.html

NZ Video Artist Doing Outdoor Installation

http://tvnz.co.nz/the-gravy/gravy-s4-e5-video-3324364

This is very cool and uses such a basic idea to accommodate the screen projection

An interactive Image Projection project

http://www.nextnature.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/weeds.jpg

Light weeds

Lightweeds is a project by Simon Heijdens and currently exhibited at the MoMA – part of the Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition.

The organisms – plants, weeds, trees – exist as a light-projection on the walls of the MoMA building. Their behaviour – growth, movement, pollentation or plant generation – is influenced by actual circumstances – weather and human movement – outside. Measured by sensors, the data directly influences the behaviour of the projected organisms.

“Nature is becoming rare in our daily life, as we pass most of the day in perpetual spaces with conditioned climates and 24 hour lighting that mute the relief of the day and year. When unplanned natural elements like a lifting breeze, a sudden shower or a setting sun are planned out of our surrounding, the timeline of our every day is lost.”

Simon Heijdens is a designer and artist, currently living in London where he teaches at the Interactive Design Department of the Royal College of Art.

Light Projection Installation

The second image is created by Paul Chan and is an environmental light project. I would like to expand on something similar for the 'Outside In " idea.


The top image example is projecting the external environments externally however they are projected on a manmade structure. This idea has changed the possibilities of 'Outside In' and with equipment limitations may be a greater possibility

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ptoke/2786349324/in/photostream/

So the ideas for the installation are flowing. Today I went and saw the video art installation at the Museum o Waikato, called Cascade. It was lovely and contributed to my ideas and possibilities.

Bringing the outside In - This idea is to bring an aspect of the environment around the APA inside. I particularly love the grove of trees opposite the building over the lake on the way to carpark 2. I have heard Tui calling through these trees and would very much like to explore this aspect.

REviewing the Reviewer - Another aspect is the idea of reviews of shows and I would like to explore this aspect with a static newspaper page hung on the wall with the photo relating to the review coming alive and the actors discussing the Critics critiques from their perspective.

Toilet Humour - A third idea after spending time with a friend doing his PHD on noise is the what goes on in the toilets. For this I was thinking of a piece where the visuals look like a security cam on the toilets. However the footage would be actors, but unknown to the observer as they would think they are viewing actual occurrences within the toilets. It is obvious that this would need to be displayed near the outside of the toilets and is something to think about.

If I don't impede on anyone elses space, I would like to do all three ideas... because I am generally mad and like to be busy

Entering the Space

The Academy of Performing Arts sits formidably amongst the lake and tree environment at the University. It can easily be said that it doesn't blend into the environment but perhaps in a bold statement reflects back on to the environment.

The foyers and entrance ways allow light to penetrate, at times glaringly. There are many different spaces to explore. Art is displayed on the walls, some I like, ... some I definately don't, but then art is in the eye of the beholder.

As alway I am intrigued by the toilet space of any venue. The toilet space in the APA is condensed and elongated to the eye (The Female Toilet). Its decor is simple and yet classic reflected in the black and white contrasts used. I have on many occassion observed the nature of conversations, or lack of, the staring into the mirrors, the fixing of makeup and adjustment of clothes in these rooms. I also hear the feedback on what has just been seen, whether it was good or not, worth the money invested by the audience and or who was the best actor, singer etc. Never do I hear toilet discussions about using toilets in such venues. - I might play with this idea.

While walking around, I overheard choirs practising and discussions of ideas for up and coming events, pre production scenarios....mmmm

Most of all, as I walk past this venue everyday, is the idea of the environment. My favorite space within the Academy is Te Whare Tapere Iti for it brings the environment close to the spectator, you can't deny it's presence it incorporates the environment into the space. I want to use this room.