Performing light and sound in space.

Chris Lunney

BFA Design & Technology

December 9, 2012

Thesis StatementI am investigating the performance of light and sound,

in order to design a space that dissolves the traditional structures for performing audio-visuals,

allowing the audience to become immersed in the frequencies that are delivered to them.

AbstractWhat has been achieved in light space art is an effective

way to activate the perceptual senses of an audience,

making them aware of the space around them. Through

the performance of electronic music a direct connection

with the audience is formed, enabling emotional response

through perception of sound. Although light space art and

live electronic music target similar experiential phenomena,

the two contexts often exist separate from one another.

There are cases in which light art and music are combined.

However through the combination of the two, much of the

experience is lost in translation. Traditions for performing

live music dictate the spatial representation of the experi-

ence, in turn dragging the light onto a stage. This voids the

purpose of light space art, because it no longer exists in the

environment of the viewer. The audience’s experience of

light and sound are now compressed to what is projected

through the fourth wall of a stage.

Respecting the individual potentials of light space art and

live electronic music, I aim to combine the two in a way

that is synergistic. By designing a performance of these

two mediums, I wish to create an experience that is greater

than the sum of its parts.

Precedents - Qualities of Light Performance1024 Architecture

This projection studio has capitalized on the effect a beam

of light can create. It holds volume and creates direction.

They created a stage lighting design to support the act of

Vitalic for his new tour this year. I particularly like the use

of mapping the lights in an array, so as to control their

position relative to one another. The lights’ movement

become perfectly in synch with the music.

Alva Noto

Using a program called Touch Designer Carsten Nicolai

performs his music linking it to visuals displayed behind

him. The visuals are linked in a dynamic relationship; each

auditory change is illustrated by a visual change. At times

he will zoom into the visual on a specific sound and its

paired visual. His version of an audiovisual performance

reveals the mystery of his control, and carefully articulates

the perception of his sounds.

Masato Tsutsui

Here is a live visual artist who performs using Max/MSP,

along side fellow musicians. The images are taken from

shows performed at a venue called SuperDelux in Tokyo.

These visuals are clean and accurate to the sound that they

are formed from. I particularly like the expression of form

and color that he is able to achieve.

KiNK

To see this producer play live is to watch an alchemist turn

synthesizer knobs into sonic gold. His music is charging

but remains soulful at its heart. At every moment of his set

you are waiting his next move. He knows how to

control anticipation, and is able to do it with the simplicity

of a snare drum.

Precedents - Qualities of Sound Performance

Modselektor

Two guys from Berlin who make your ears question what

is possible. Their music is always leans towards comedy.

Having seen them live, its apparent that they are

completely enthralled in the music at that moment, and can

sculpt it into any form at any time.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Here is another musician versatile in his performance. At

moments slowing the crowd to the speed of a drifting

chorus, and then quickly amping up the energy until

everyone’s jumping in the room. His acute attention to

sound allows him to perform either end of he spectrum of

electronic music.

Precedents - Qualities of SpaceDarkmatters

Created for the Roskilde Festival Social Zone the

installation immerses atop a floor of light. This was

created as a place to relax between concerts while allowing

entertainment and participation in the event to continue.

People are allowed to roam and explore as the environment

changes around themselves.

Supermafia

Created for the mapping festival in Geneva Switzerland, the

inflatable dance floor enables a party to happen anywhere.

Part of the performance is simply inflating the space while

partiers gather around waiting to enter. This space has a

white roof panel, where projections are displayed. The

visuals not only describe the space architecturally but

illuminate the interior as well.

Nonotak Studio

Combining projections with planes of scrim, Nonotak was

able to create an architectural space of light. They describe

it as a place that is enticing to enter, but once inside hard

to leave. By creating four walls of light that are animated

the classic structure of a room changed dynamically each

moment.

This project aims to cross the borders between art and

technology and live performance. Because of this, the

social context can be spread between the performances

found in an exhibition to the kind that normally inhabits a

venue. I think the project could relate to both of these

contexts, in the same way a dj relates to the crowd they are

playing for. A certain spatial context asks for a certain kind

of media to be expressed.

Suggested events and spaces for this to take place include

Scopitone in Nantes France, Mapping Festival in Geneva

Swizerland, Ars Electronica in Linz Austria, and

Superdeluxe in Tokyo Japan.

Social Context

Prototype 1Tremors in Montreal

I traveled up to Montreal with friends to throw a party in

early November. We heard that the venue booked was a

large warehouse gallery space. Instantly we were excited

to use this space to the best of our abilities. This

provided the chance to come and design an experience

for the night. Using three projectors, theatre scrim, and a

weather balloon we created a space to map visual content

throughout the hall. Likewise this also gave us the

opportunity to test new video content and techniques to

mix visuals live.

Prototype 2Dimensional Light

I wanted to play with projected light in a way that would

spatialize it throughout an environment. These images

show the result of a projector displaying into a box with

slits at the top of it. Filled with smoke from a machine, the

light catches the particles in the air, allowing you to perceive

volumes of light. Finally I animated these to allow

movement of the light in space. Bands of light passed

horizontally through the space, superimposing their forms

on top of or behind other light bands. Not only could I

create optical effects such as moiré and mach bands, but

also blending of colors.

Evaluation Development and ScheduleDuring this semester I battled with the direction of my

concept. I could not see exactly what I was doing

objectively and became rather caught up in a flux between

art and performance. Creating a dichotomy between my

precedents caused part of this struggle. On one hand I

had artists like Robert Irwin and Olafur Eliason, and on the

other hand people like Ritchie Hawtin and AntiVJ. I was

being pulled in the direction of perceptual art, and

simultaneously wanting this to be high energy with flashing

lights. These two contradicted each other. Towards the

end of the semester I made a decision to do what I really

want. I admitted to the fact that I want to control the music

and light simultaneously, in a performance space that can

act as a canvas for the experience of these energies.

My prototypes had much more to do with my final decision

than the perceptual fields of art. Likewise, some of my time

this semester has been taken to produce music, or dj for

various parties. These activities display my true interests.

Acknowledging this I will go forth into semester two,

knowing path to venture.

Having declared my focus I am excited to begin work on

actualizing my ideas. There are several realms of

production that must take place to enable the final concept

to be successful.

Music: Producing a selection of tracks that can then be

performed live for an audience. These songs should be

diverse in their ability to entertain. Starting at an easy

beginning, then into high energy, and finally a resolution at

the end. I aim to have enough songs for a short

thirty-minute performance. I plan to have these songs

finished by the end of January. This way they are available

to work with for other aspects of the performance.

Lights: Through researching possibilities and testing

concepts I will design the lighting apparatus. I imagine this

to be a combination of lights and projected media; the key

here being the implementation of them in space. It is

necessary to have the lighting be spatial so as to involve

the audience in the performance space, where they collide

with the music and light. Research of these potential

technologies will be done in January. I will select the

technologies to be used by the end of that month.

Technology: I must find a comfortable way to perform the

music as well as the lights. Part of this is siphoning the

music to the lights so as to create a direct relationship

between image and sound. This must be efficient and

visually affective. Abstracting sound to light is relatively

simple; the true challenge will be making this beautiful.

During the devolopment of the music, I will be testing ways

of visualizing these sounds live. I aim to have a strategy for

this by the end of January. Allowing me to articulate the

look of it in the following months.

Venue: I would like to create a space for this to exist. This

is important to contain the experience and allow a space

for the lights and projection to exist. Finding a place for this

to exist is another consideration. It would be great to de-

velop a package of module pieces that could be installed in

different locations upon arrival. This way the performance

is not linked to specific dimensional requirements.

Depending on the decisions made about lighting

technology, the space needed for this to be fullfilled may

differ. It may result in no space made at all, but rather a

series of lighting fixtures or applicaitons that create visual

space. Regardless of the outcome I aim to be able to build

the “space” starting in February.

Strategy: The things that will inform the performance the

most are the connections between the technologies being

used. For the music I aim to use Ableton Live in

conjunction with Max for Live, and possibly Traktor. Lights

and visual programs to be used include VDMX, Mad

Mapper 1.3, Syphon, and Max/MSP. I would like to have

the strategy of getting music to visuals decided by the end

of January.

A dose of reasonability: I must admit that this is a lot of

work and exploration. To master the abilities I aim to de-

velop takes far more time than allotted in semester two.

This relates to the scale of the project as well as its fidel-

ity of execution. Although I would love to create an event

for hundreds of people, it is more likely to perform several

times after the completion of thesis, continuing to develop

the precision of my skills as an audiovisualist.

There is a history of work and analysis of the contexts I wish

to combine. It would be advantageous to my project to

align my work with the lineage that I wish to contribute to.

This will frame my work not only in a historical context but

better describe its goals for developing it further.

There must be a clearly defined purpose. It is not enough

to say that this is something I would like to do. This

purpose allows a clear critique of the project’s success.

Likewise, the project can then have a defined trajectory,

allowing myself to aim at achieving a specific goal.

Critique