My Cyclops
Room to See...(the viewer) in Camera
A play of digital and analog imagery in a darkened room with one eye on the outside world. An exploration of the automation of sight in a site-specific space. Whereas Manovich talks specifically about the more architectural conceptual movement from Renaissance perspective to photo-optics and into the geometric multi-perspective of the digital, this work moves into the realm of imag(e)ination. A projection of the memory of a building, made visible as it falls asleep. An optical meditation on an arbitrary place, vis- the back-door of our art school.
Viewers will enter the darkened top room through a curtain, and see a live pinhole image of the outside world inverted and hanging to the right. This is the primary vision, unadulterated and pure. It is there to provide an image-base from which to refer, and to eventually return to on the way out.
Enticed by subtle noises, and flashes, the veiwer will move into the next space, which is slightly hazy, and criss-crossed with light beams from projectors. On the far wall is a live webcam image of the same view provided by the pinhole. This time it is the right way up, and circular so as to echo the pinhole image. The distorted, wide-angle image resists resolving itself into a photo-optic image, but manifests itself as a digitised construct of the casual fixed gaze as a framed projection.
If there is no movement outside the room, the webcam image will become a reversed abstraction of the view of buildings, cars and the large tree, as if it's "eye" has closed. As soon as there is movement outside, the live webcam image will return. The animation will become more immersive the longer there is no movement outside, progressing from super-imposed flashes, to a bizarre mechanical dream (the fantasy of the old substation and the absent electrical organs), and eventually into a REM-like procession of time-lapsed imagery taken from the webcam. Eventually, the room will flatline into darkness, unconscious.
Only movement outside the room will wake it up.
The slides, if they work, will be recollections of various times and people as seen from the pinhole perspective.
The above take reference from Deleuze's definition of the body as an assemblage of images:
1. Perception - images (the pinhole, live)
2. Action - images (the webcam, processed)
3. Affection images (slides, memory)
The above take the body as "site of technical inscription of movement-images", whereas my 'vision-chamber' will place the body of the viewer "in camera obscura", to drift between the 'real' and the imagined.
Ref: www.manovich.net
New philosophy for new media / Mark B.N. Hansen.
Concept Proposal
Proposal for WSOA Final Exhibition
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Working Title: The Drift Between
Exhibitors : Colleen Alborough
Elmi Dixon
Richard Kilpert
Nicholas Nesbitt
Sue Van Zyl
Venue: The Sub Station at Wits University, Johannesburg
Date: 5 – 11 February 2005
Opening: Saturday 5 February, 14hoo, Speaker TBA
Budget: R5000 + loan of equipment + Orientation Week funding
That suspended space between conscious and sub-counscious awareness is the border of experience where familiar reality and the shadows become fluid.
The viewers will move into an experiential environment which is filled with dream-like images and sounds which relate to specific incidents and objects within the gallery. The works amplify the subliminal forces which we carry, yet seldom acknowledge.
By inverting our awareness within this contemplative space, the works form a journey which recognises the shadow-life. Using interactive strategies like motion-detection, the individual pieces respond to the viewer with a continuity of subtle and effuse sounds and imagery.
This is a collaborative project designed to the specific parameters of the Sub Station. The room as a whole will act as a pin-hole camera, locating the darkened room as an inversion of the daily traffic without, we provide residual images and ask the viewer to construct their own narrative experience of the installation
electronics
Nick, Sue and I were at Communica in Mooi St today looking for components for our installations. They really just sell the diodes and jimjams, so for Sue's lie detector and Nick and my Infra-red sensors, we will have to return with plans for them to make up, but it wont be cheap. There is a nice little shop round the corner as well (M Electronics) where the guy seems to specialise in security sensors. For wireless headphones they told us to try Giddy's or Hi Fi Corporation.
two in one
So we have to motivate for the extra week of preparation, but apart from that, we have the Substation 17th Jan - 11 Feb, to open on Saturday 5 Feb at 6pm. Check w. Christo if it is ok for External to view at 3pm. Christo also has to request if we want the Nunnery as well. The Amphitheatre and Downstairs Theatre are booked for dance from 14Feb, so it would be v difficult to arrange, but not impossible. Check out the Nunnery, it is perfect afaic. The Art School has a mailing list which they post to if we give them the info. Also we need to get a post onto the Wits events.net (ivor@alumni).
JiTtErBuGgYs
I'm in! Nick has been sending the Max patch text attachments, but I have had problems getting them to open. Does anyone know how to make them work. Otherwise we must just have a Max Patches folder in the Shared folder in the Users folder on Espeon. Franci has expressed interest in playing - when she gets back from Norway! Nick, Mitch and I will be working 5-7pm on Wednesdays in the Lab. If we survive the pillowfight.
how this works
Hey everybody (and for those readers who may be listening at some time in the future):
It's nathaniel, blog king. Most of you should have been 'invited' to join this blog (if not, the administrator, meaning nick, should do this; nick, invite yourself, too, so your posts have your own name). Click the link in the email invite to join under your own blogger account (or, if you don't have one, make one). This way, when you post, it signs it under your name, as mine is below.
Nick can make as many people as he wants 'administrators' - if you want to be able to change the template, invite others to join, or edit other people's posts, ask nick to do this for you. Nick, I'd like to get the xml feed for this blog; can you add it to the template? If you don't know how, make me an administrator, and email me that you did so, and I'll take care of it. You should also change the date stamp to our own country / time zone in the blog settings!
You should each post your original concepts, changes as they happen, tech research, summations of chats about your projects, whatever. Posts lots + often, and comment on each other!
