Artist Spotlight: Shapes of Curiosity - David Bithell
David Bithell’s Passage, on view in the Schneider Museum of Art as a part of Shapes of Curiosity, the SOU Creative Arts Faculty Exhibition is a multidisciplinary work that defies simple categorization. Blending elements of site-specific installation, sound, and digital work, Bithell has created a unique work that is sure to create a lasting impression on viewers. Passage utilizes complex math and musical intonation systems to create an immersive experience.
Passage was initially created as a part of the Portland2016: A Biennial of Contemporary Art. Originally, Bithell planned to create a performance for the Biennial, but was given gallery space the Gallery at Pinckney Center, Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Oregon for two months and had to come up with a longer-term installation. In response to the space at Bend, Bithell began to explore the idea of a space as a connection to identity. From this foundation, he explored various musical compositions that had personal meaning to him. Rather than simply finding a way to create an installation based on these compositions, however, Bithell wanted to craft a space in which he could explore exactly how we build connections to a place in a poetic manner. In that sense, Passage works perfectly; compositions with an intimate connection to the artist come in and out as the viewer experiences the work. However, these moments are brief and may not even be registered by the viewer, leaving them to carve out their own meaning for the space Bithell has constructed.
On a technical level, Passage consists of 36 tubes, each topped with an aluminum disc. Inside each tube is a solenoid and Digispark USB microcontroller, which is then connected to adjacent tubes through a modular wiring set up. These tubes are all connected to a computer at the entrance of the room that runs a program Bithell designed using the software program Max. This computer is also hooked up to a projector that emits a blue circle on top of each tube. The program that Bithell has coded on Max then sets off a semi-random (we’ll discuss what this means soon) pattern of white dots that traverse the space. When the dots line up with a spot in front of one of the tubes, it triggers the solenoid within the tube to strike the disc, sounding a tone. If this sounds complex, it’s because it is. However, by blacking out the room, the viewer is left in a sense of wonder, as they watch the dots of light flicker across the room and produce sounds that might not seem to add up at all.
The behavioral patterns of the traversing dots is also more complex than the viewer may initially realize. One may believe that the piece is picking out tubes at random upon first viewing the installation. However, over time, patterns begin to form and disappear in the order of pitches. Bithell has designed ten different behavioral modes that the piece operates within. At times, the piece will start with a randomized tone and then play ascending pitches. At other times, it will enter what’s called the “slow creep” mode, in which the piece very slowly picks out pitches that give off an ominous tone. Sometimes, the piece will even enter a musical mode, in which the installation will begin to play some of the meaningful compositions discussed earlier in this post. The piece switches between modes at random intervals of time (except in the musical mode, where it plays the composition to fruition). This spontaneous switching between modes gives the installation a sense of magic and wonder, as if the piece has a mind of its own and behaves like a real musician sitting down to practice their instrument.
These technical elements give the work a sense of complexity, yet the overall feel of Passage is quite human and calming. Sitting in the dark, watching the piece at play is a somewhat surreal experience that is hard to describe – it’s at once impactful, abstract, flexible, and meaningful. We have included a picture here to give a sense of what the piece is like, but strongly encourage you to stop by the Museum and experience the piece for yourself. Passage is a work that manages to be rooted within a concept – connection to a place – and transcend that very concept through abstraction.
Join us next week for our spotlight on Miles Inada!
Image: David Bithell, Passage, 2016, Sound installation, projection, Dimensions vary
