Overview
What is life and what is technology? Where is the intersection between the two?
This is an audiovisual art installation made in a team of 5. The installation was part of an exhibition at "Österlens konstrunda" in Simrishamn, Sweden.
My main contributions in this project was to be the main concept developer, construction specialist and construction builder. I also had personal responsibilities for the technical parts such as light and sound design as well as the installation of technology.
My Role: Project leader, Artist, Sound designer, Technical specialist
Materials: Wood, Chicken wire, Cloth, Acrylic Paint
Software and technology: Zoom H2N microphone, DMX light modulator, Audacity
Notice that in the video above, there are some background sounds from other installations. The main sounds from this one is the heartbeat.
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Progress and tech installation
Construction of the base
The first part of the project was to build a functional construction that could hold up the weight and size without being too heavy. It also needed to have space for the technology and light.
To do so, we builded a base made out of wood and chicken wire.
The whole group working on the heart
Me working on the heart
Heart in the making
Making the heart
Then, it was time to create the heart look like a "real" heart. To do so, we used papier mache and cloth. The cloth was painted in acrylic paint, in different shades of pink and red to make it look organic.
Not only did we create the heart itself but also made big "veins" that moves from the heart into the room. The reason was is to make the installation more immersive. To create a feeling of not only watching the heart but also being a part of the heart.
Audio design and technology
Since I was the only person interested in technology and sound design, I had the responsibilities for the technology part.
To make the heart sound I tried both free downloadable sounds and to make my own. The finished sound was recorded with a Zoom microphone and then distorted in the audio software Audacity.
To make the sound and light work together, I used a light and audio mixer that was connected to a led lamp in the heart and several speakers outside the heart.
Challenges with the sound
To make the light react with the sound, the sound needed to be clear and with a lot of base. When I created the audio, I had some problems with this. Either the sound was realistic but didn't react with the light or the sound reacted with the light but wasn't as much realistic. After some testing I decided that it was more important that the audio and sound worked well together.
Some thoughts about future changes
Since we didn't had that much time to create the installation, the span of the project was limited.
If I was to remake the art installation, I would love to add some interactive aspects to it. A way for the viewers to feel more immersed in the installation not only trough viewing and listening.
I am not sure what kind of interactions there would be, but if I got the change to remake the installation I would go trough a bigger ideation phase about that.