SensingSpeakingSpace

Sensing Speaking Space, 2002: Green Screen
image/jpeg
112 × 84

Sensing Speaking Space, 2002: Transition
image/jpeg
112 × 84

Sensing Speaking Space, 2002: White Screen
image/jpeg
112 × 84

Sensing Speaking Space, 2002: ASCII Noise
image/jpeg
112 × 84

Sensing Speaking Space, 2002: Transition
image/jpeg
112 × 84

Sensing Speaking Space, 2002: Green Screen
image/jpeg
112 × 84

SensingSpeakingSpace, Installation Configuration
image/png
405 × 504

SpeakingSensingSpace, Installation configuration SFMoMA 2002
image/jpeg
1360 × 1020

"Sensing Speaking Space", is an interactive installation that focuses on the notion of the "intelligent space", a space that knows you are there and reacts to the presence and movements of multiple spectators sensed through a custom camera tracking system. The image is projected on a large screen, the sounds are spatialized around the audience through a 6 channel surround-sound based on their locations in the gallery.

The visualization consists of the play between the noise, randomness and order, through multiple layerings and subtle changes that build up over time and in response to spectators movements. There is a back and forth transition between two images that is produced dynamically as a consequence of the spectators' actions. The first state is a textured image surface continuously being covered by white visual noise, like film dust, or snow falling on a windshield. The noise is made up of ascii characters that must be wiped away by the spectators' movements to activate further events. Enough action must be generated so that the transition to the other state is possible. The second state is a green blurred image, from which readable texts are drawn to the surface through the spectator's movements. The audience's movements advance the events from one to the other evoking metaphorical acts of "wiping" and "breaking through" in the white noise screen mode to "bringing forth" and "revealing" in the green text screen mode.

The sound consists of several layers (drone, singer, water sounds, bells, speakers, etc.) with variations for each of the two visual states. The vision program send messages over a network to a SuperCollider program that controls the sound synthesis and mixing.

The work is intended to focus on reflexion and self-realization of one's presence. It is an abstract work meant to be contemplative like a Japanese garden.

(George Legrady)