Beautiful Flowers

This occurrence is a reminder to me of the amazing potential of improvised work. This session took place during preparations for the final performance of Shahar’s Tune-Barcelona workshop.

I was busy preparing all kinds of technical things for the performance when Sophie came up to me and asked if I can join her, Africa and Judit in the bathroom (you get used to these kind of question when working in improvised settings). They wanted to incoporate a projection of images into a piece during the performance. When I completed some of the other tasks I was doing, I took the camera and headed in their direction.  These images were born during a magical 10 or 15 minute session. I then went to the computer, downloaded the pictures from the memory card and within 20 minutes more completed to select the 32 images that were presented during the performance. This was the first time that I completed a work, including digital post-processing in the performance space and within the bubble of the actual piece.

Beautiful Flowers Installation

I am creating an installation through which these images can be experienced. The installation will be a space in which people can travel a linear course that takes them through the story portrayed in the printed images. The installation is divided into zones – a zone includes one or more printed images. The zones are used to establish an interactive system of light and sound. Interaction is achieved through proximity sensors that can detect the presence of people. When people enter a zone the lights in that zone are activated to reveal the images (the rest of the space is as dark as possible).

The core idea for sound in the installation is that there is a complete audio piece playing the background. It is made up of tracks. One track is a constant base-ambient track that is always playing in the space. The tracks are also associated with Zones. In effect when a zone is activated the track that is associated with the zone is also activated (volume turned up?). The result is that the sound that is heard throughout the entire space is shaped by the presence of people in the space.

The physical setting of the installation has yet to be determined – the wish is to relate to qualities of the work while provising a solution that can be constructed and transported with ease so that the installation can travel to numerous locations around the world.

I am seeking people who can help realize this work: a sound artist, a lighting and multimedia programming artist, funding and a location that will host and produce the first installation.