expressing myself here through written words and visuals. would you like to take a seat and dive into my space?
art by yours truly and header credit to marko93 on pinterest.
How I improvise the concept from assignment 1 into a new conceptual approach
In my first assignment, the artworks that I chose talked about humans and communication whether it's the reality or virtually in their concept story.
I decided that I want to use the same concept but make a new conceptual approach that would talk about a new dynamic relationship in communication which is the communication via digital world where most people deal with in this current era.
I took a little bit of both artworks from the new media technology that they used, the concept as well as the understanding that I got from the research I did for the assignment 1.
Then I try to understand how to deliver my new conceptual message in visually and sound wise while referring to assignment 1.
Improvised & Simplified Using effective technology
Unlike the advanced tech that was used in the artworks from my report, I decided to simplify the tech that will be used in my work.
I took inspiration from the artwork, "Monolith" and wanted to make an audio reactive generative art as well.
Just like how the artwork interacts with sounds, I would like to make the visual and sounds synchronized with each other thus showing an interaction with one another.
Unlike Monolith that does complexity with the tech part in their artwork, I would like to simplify it a lot more and that it wouldn't need fancy tech for it be successfully done.
Implementing a new storyline concept
Storyline Concept
Communicating is a key part of the human's life and with the changes that took over for the past few years, we start to depend on technology to be able to socialize easier.
Phone is one of the most important gadgets that we rely to as it has become the main source of communicating when we are not able to talk face to face.
Some people uses texting as the comfortable way out to talk things without feeling anxious but through texting too, things can be taken out of context due to no tone indicator.
This artwork talks about the miscommunication that can happen through these electronic gadgets and how people have evolve throughout the years with this new form of communication.
Performance Tech Rider
The performance tech rider for this installation is just like any other live performance that is done through streaming as I give a show through their own living room without having the hassle to move somewhere else.
Since it will be in a form of live streaming, people can just play it on any of their electronic device anywhere.
The flowchart is how I will perform it live through a device.
Stage Floor Plan
This is the floor plan for the live performance that I will be doing. As I handle most of the performance through my computer, I will be needing it in order to do the performance successfully. People can watch it via Google Meet or Youtube Live.
New Media Technology
The media technology that I will use are softwares like Resolume Arena, Adobe Premier Pro, and TouchDesigner.
I will be using the software during the live and before the live to edit some footages that I made so I can make it flow seamlessly during the live performance.
Not only that, I will be using a camera to capture the footages beforehand based on the concept and the mood board that I have set in the first place.
Conclusion
We can agree that communicating and socializing is one of the most important things to us as humans.
Without the ability to do this, there will be a lot of misunderstandings that can happened due to it as even sent messages by words through text or spoken words whether it be face to face or via call may get lost in translation due to different cultures and the backgrounds of people as we are mostly brought up differently in life.
With the innovation of technology, while communicating gets easier and people are able to stay connected most of the time, there are also disadvantages to it as through text, we can’t show our emotions through tones and the people who read them put their own understanding and create misunderstandings on their own.
All in all, this shows the importance of visualization and why people have decided to use emojis in their text so that people get the idea of what they really meant whether it’s a joke or they are being serious or whether they are sad and happy.
People on social media also decided to use tone indicators when mentioning something so that it’s easier for people who are neurodivergent able to pick up on the real meanings.
Nonetheless, we can see how humans adapt throughout the new changes being made in the society while trying to use the technology in a good way of communicating with one another.
The final project for this subject is to do a live performance that was proposed from the previous assignment. Moving on from the proposal, I have followed the plan and thoroughly prepared them so it can be executed well in the end. The live performance that I did was a live VJ with a song being played in the background.
Live VJs are curators and performers that expertise in using motion pictures to enhance live events and performances. Based on this understanding, I have executed a show where I controlled the videos and live editing in real-time through a software. The total performance was 4:41 minutes long and is shown live in class on Wednesday, 13th April 2022.
2.0 Technology application
For this project, the technology that I used was softwares like Resolume Arena and Adobe Premiere Pro. Most of the time, I use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit the before and after footage while Resolume Arena to do the live performance by choosing which clips to show and which effects will go great with the beat of the song.
Besides this softwares, I also used video clips that I mostly got from the internet and edit it with some effects to go with the idea I have set up before. I used websites like Pexel and Youtube to search for the content that I needed for this project.
Concepts
This performance talks about the miscommunication that can happen through these electronic gadgets and how people have evolved throughout the years with this new form of communication. Communicating is a key part of the human's life and with the changes that took over for the past few years, we start to depend on technology to be able to socialize easier.
Phone is one of the most important gadgets that we rely on as it has become the main source of communication when we are not able to talk face to face. Some people use texting as the comfortable way out to talk things without feeling anxious but through texting too, things can be taken out of context due to no tone indicator. The performance unravels the relationship between humans, communications as well as the use of technology to stay connected.
Organization.
Online Version.
The performance tech rider for this performance is just like any other live performance that is done through live streaming. Like most streamers, I will be bringing the show to the audience’s own living room without them having the hassle to move somewhere else. Since it will be in a form of live streaming, people can just play it on any of their electronic devices anywhere. The figure below is the flowchart on how I will perform it live through a device.
4.2 Offline Version.
Just like the online version, I still need space to put my laptop to control the performance live. The difference is I need a screen to show the performance. I do think it would be interesting to show it in a convention or any stage someday. If it’s done offline, there will be more tech applications needed due to the projection mapping and controlling what is being shown on multiple screens or one screen.
Live performance show
The live performance is 4:41 minutes long with the visuals being controlled over the song called ‘Me And Your Mama’ by Childish Gambino. Below is the full performance.
In week 4 and 5, the topic that was talked about was regarding multimedia and mediating performance. Today we will looked back and see the difference between these two type of performances.
Recaps of the class
As we all know, multimedia is a form of communication that combines different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations or video into a single interactive presentation.
This is why it’s different from the traditional mass media that featured little to no interaction from the audience.
Multimedia presentations can be viewed by person on stage, projected, transmitted or played locally with a media player.
This presentation can be live mode or recorded prior to the presentation day.
One of the few types of multimedia performance is live cinema.
The concept of live cinema is still a fairly new and developing genre within media art that brings together experimental approaches to narrative and non-narrative film making, with live music and the performing arts.
Meanwhile, what mediating performance is a structured, interactive process where an impartial third party assists disputing parties in resolving conflict through the use of specialized communication and negotiation techniques.
Below is the multimedia performance done by Super Everything to show the difference between the other mediating performance called Satu Hari: Penang.
Super Everything* - live cinema performance (multimedia performance)
Satu Hari: Penang (mediating performance)
Overall, our lecturer also showed us the process of him making these shows and it’s fascinating to learn the behind the scene to create such performances.
Reflections
In this class, I learnt about the process of making these performances and how multimedia performance is being done usually. We always see the end product of these shows so it was fun to know how it was made and the thought process behind it as well as how one shot is edited to become apart of these performances.
It made me excited but also nervous about how well I can produce like these type of end results for this subject. All in all, it made me inspired to learn more about other performances in this industry so I can produce one as well.
Performance Art: Monolith, 2021 By Hings Lim ㅡ click here.
For the second case study, I have decided to do a research on is Hings Lim’s work called Monolith.
About The Artist
Born in 1989 in Kuala Lumpur, Hings Lim is a Malaysian artist who works with a range of mediums such as video, image, object, performance and situations.
Currently based in Long Angeles, United States.
Received his Master of Fine Arts degree and the Performance Studies Graduate Certificate at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles in 2021, as a recipient of the USC International Artist Fellowship; and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia in 2012
Other works: https://hingslim.com/works/
Deconstructing
The storyline:
For this project, the artist had uses both objects and technologies in pursuance of learning the relationship that would influences beyond the dialectics of self and other beings in terms of culture and nature.
The main focus of this artwork is the CGI monolith (large stone that is tall and narrow) surrounded by clouds shown using an interactive projector.
The monolith's shape reacts to sound as it will crumbles down if people talk and shout at it.
He uses this metaphor to describe the enigmatic and playful human's relationship towards authority.
Performance Tech Rider:
This performance tech rider is quite simple as it consists of computer and projector and a digital tower.
The artist/performer can stand anywhere as the sound will be picked up by tower.
Meanwhile, the simulation computer perched atop an intimidating sentinel-like podium, acting as an analogue foil for the digital tower.
Stage Floor Plan:
New Media Technology Applied:
This simulation used a projection made with hydraulic pedestal, computer, aluminum, nickels plated steel, electric cords and lastly projector.
The digital tower is connected to the projector so that the sound picked up by the digital tower can interacts with the CGI monolith and the shape will change depending on the sound that was picked up.
How does the new media technology improve the concept and stage performance?
Hings Lim's vision in using the new media technology in order to deliver his message is a clever act.
We use new media technology to communicate with each other locally or even internationally.
He uses the new media technology to talk about the same thing which is to communicate and build relationships that would influence beyond the dialectics of self and other beings in terms of culture and nature.
All in all, with the usage of new media technology, the artist is capable of creating a work that describes a witty bond that humans do when it comes to communicating because interactive installation is only possible with the invention of technologies.
How can current case studies be innovative in the future?
Add a part where certain frequencies produce a different reaction to the shape.
This idea comes from observing humans and animals that uses different frequencies to indicate a tone and emotion when they communicate.
Every sound made when we communicate is crucial so the message that is being sent doesn’t get lost in it’s meaning and create a misunderstanding between two parties.
It also helps to deconstruct the true meaning of his piece where he wanted to explore the endless relationship of humans and nonhumans through them communicating.
Performance Art: Hakanai, 2013 By Adrien M & Claire B ㅡ click here.
For the first case study, I have decided to do a research on is Adrien M & Claire B’s work called Hakanai. The video above is debut performance for Hakanai done in France.
About The Artist
Starts making digital arts since 2004 ㅡ mostly being performances and exhibitions relating to reality and virtuality.
Based in France (Drôme)
The company is subsidised and accredited in France Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region
The attention towards their artworks are more on the human being and it's body by using contemporary tools in the service of timeless poetry.
Uses a visual language based on game and pleasure as the mediums of the imagination.
Currently has 30 associates, two performances and two exhibits touring internationally.
Other works: https://www.am-cb.net/en/projets
Deconstructing
The storyline:
The word Hakanai is a Japanese old word that signifies ephemeral, transitory, fragile as well as including everything you can't catch.
This word also consists of combining the graphic characters of 'man' and 'dream' in kanji.
Playing with the concept of what lies on the brink of imagination and reality for the dancers.
It's somewhere between dream and reality.
Because the word talks and capture the essence of human condition and it's precariousness but grounded in nature, the performance focuses in showing the emotion of passion along with serving as "a spectacle of dialog between the dances and digital scenography that surrounds it."
Performance Tech Rider:
They observed the dancer and uses what they called as digital puppetry.
Thus, creating interactions by combining all the sensors. graphic tablets and controllers to control the images for them.
Visuals and sounds used are generated and animated live during the performance.
Stage Floor Plan:
New Media Technology Applied:
Uses video projection mapping, CGI and sensors so it can respond to the motions made by the dancer inside the cube.
Creates a new software called eMotion to in order to make an interaction between real data and virtual objects.
Started coding this software because Adrien wanted to "juggle digital objects in the same sensitive way that he was juggling balls."
How does the new media technology improve the concept and stage performance?
The artists that are involved in this project is closing the gap between technology and art.
They made it seems like virtuality is apart of our reality and that there's no limit for creativity as science can also be used to make art.
Dance in first place can be shown to evoke all sorts of emotions using our body parts but by combining visuals like the ones they used in this performance, it can help the audience to understand the message that the artists want to deliver to the public.
Thus the new media acts as a bridge to help convey and communicate better through the help of visuals and not just by using our imagination to achieve the main goal of the message.
How can current case studies be innovative in the future?
From their past works we can see that the artist has a distinct style to set them apart from other artists but I believe they have been safe in creating these works.
It is obvious that they are good at what they do but perhaps in order to be more innovative with their future projects, they can dive into other sorts of performance be it collaborating with other performing arts or challenge themselves in a new form of new media technology.
If they use these types of sensor new media technology in theatre, I think it would create a more fun engaging performance that will captivate the viewers too.
The production of props can interchange from something that is traditional to digital and save the transportation for these props – decreasing the manpower in management as well.
Image taken from the slideshow made by Mr. Fauzi Yusoff.
The topic that was discussed about in this week’s class was about “Scenes.” It was more of a sharing session done by Mr. Fauzi about his past works rather than learning the theoretically based of what scene is.
Recaps of this week’s class
Sir had shared his past works about the Thaipusam celebration in Malaysia which was back in 2011.
Down below is the pictures he shared for the class:
Reflections
It was a fun sharing session for me as I learnt the usage of black and white in films and photography. I didn’t know before this that in order to invoke emotions in pictures or videos, they use black and white hence why it was something new that I got from it. Not only that, we also shared our progress in class for our upcoming assignment which was fun to see what my classmates had found for their performance art research.
Image taken from the slideshow made by Mr. Fauzi Yusoff.
For this week’s lecture, we learnt about perceptions starting from the definition of it, the history regarding perceptions as well as how constructive workflow works. It’s an interesting topic to learn as we know more about how our brain works and which side of the brain we use more/is dominant to. To know more about the recaps of what we learnt in class, you can read down below!
Recaps of this week’s class
Basically what perception is the ability to process and notice subconsciously of particular things about anything using one of more senses.
There’s three process of perceptions and it works in three different ways which is: organization, identification as well as interpretation.
In order for some things to be seen or perceived, the object should be attainable through taste, sight, sound, smell or touch in order the brain to physiologically process it.
The history of perception starts since the prehistoric times where the concept of it “has been philosophically practiced as a result of people that are trying to fulfil a better understanding on the nature of experience.”
In the 19th century, psychophysics came into play in order for the psychologists to practice with.
Due to this, it helped psychologists acquire a greater understanding scientifically of how our brains obtain information in series of physiological experiments along with various other techniques.
The 5 tips on how to start a constructive workflow:
Understand the question.
Construct a strategic plan
Fill in the blanks
Get some ideas and inspiration
Set a perimeter.
Before our class ended, he also gave a brief for our upcoming assignment which is Assignment 1: Performance Art With New Media Technology.
Reflections
From this week’s lecture, I learnt the process of perceptions and how our brain decided to store information in detail. Not only that, I also found out surprisingly I use more of my left side of the brain than the right one.
Perhaps it’s because I always thought I’m more creative than using my logic but that’s the beauty of our brain! Overall, it was an interesting finding and I can also start using the tips of how to start a constructive workflow in my future works.
For this week’s lecture, there were a few things that were being touched upon by our lecturer, Mr. Fauzi Yusoff such as course brief and other things as well. Before I dive in further on what were being told in the class, I would like to admit that my understanding on performance art other than what most public would known (singing, acting, theater, poetry etc) were quite limited to mostly only that.
Only after paying attention to the class that I later realized that I did saw a few performance art in my life via real life and online from videos but didn’t know what is the name of the niche industry. It was really interesting I must say.
Recap of this week’s class:
The meaning of what performance art is ㅡ a conceptual art which conveys a content-based meaning in a more drama-related sense, rather than being simple performance for its own sake for entertainment purposes.
Performance art involves four basic elements which is time, space, body and presence of the artist as well as the relation between the creator along with public.
Mostly can be done anywhere and it’s goal is to usually create a response or a reaction from people.
The themes in performance art are frequently associated to either life experiences of the artist themselves or they would have the need to criticized the society with a spirit of transformation.
Since performance art does not seek to present these conventional theatrical plays, it can be expressed through actions and communication verbally between the artist and the audience but it can also be anything as it does not have any limits to what is allowed and what is isn’t.
Reflections
Overall, I found out about new exciting things regarding performance art. Now that we are more exposed to what performance art is, I can watch more performance art on my own and learn the difference of it among other performance arts before we move onto a more in-depth learning about the subject.
I am quite thrilled to learn and challenge myself in this subject but also anxious about the process of making new things. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to learning and gaining more knowledge regarding this subject.
