Iterating on my first major work gave me the opportunity to focus on presentation and really dive into how the space and the piece interact to create a more powerful impact. It was actually the first time I started to consider the possibility of building a site-specific piece, which is a huge realization for me. I have to say though that the motivation for this iteration is due mainly to the feedback I received from both the instructors and peers who saw the first version of this project.
Setting up for my first tests in the space was extremely enjoyable as I began to work with new hardware and technology. It was also an opportunity to put these components together in ways I have never thought about. The help and guidance I received from one of my more knowledgeable classmates were invaluable and I’m grateful to have access to such an incredible resource. Another important step in the evolution of this project was the space and time I gave myself to think and manifest the next version. A combination of these two components gave me the opportunity to think and work without the stress of a deadline. However, in the end, the most important part of this progression was allowing myself to talk to others about the idea and be willing to ask for help in the content department.
The primary sound became a huge part of what I needed to create for this second iteration. I was told, and I tend to agree, that the use of secondary or even tertiary audio content takes away from the meaning and eventual impact of my project. This was not an easy task for me as I forgot about my musical roots long ago. However, that being said working with Ableton was a nice reminder of the parts of music that I like. While I didn’t construct my audio from the ground up, the ability to layer various samples allowed me to create my own soundscape; a soundscape that I know adds to the meaning of the piece instead of distracts from it. It was the first original audio piece I’ve created in a long time and definitely the first one worth playing back. For me, it makes my skin crawl and I hope that it accomplishes the same response from anyone who views the piece because that is the state that they need to be in in order view this work. In the future, I hope to create more projects that require a more upbeat sonic component. However, upbeat or otherwise, I feel that this new ability to elicit emotion with sound fits perfectly into the core of my newfound creative philosophy of the effects our environments have on us.
This was also the first time that I used two different computers to run a single project. It was a very interesting and eye-opening experience. The realization that I can split processing power between two machines will open up possibilities for much more intensive pieces and I’m excited to see where that goes. I also took advantage of creating a local network, which I must admit is something I have never done before. The ease at which I was able to do this was pretty shocking and I’ll need to play around with this concept even more as I continue to make.
The final setup took a lot longer than I had anticipated but it was extremely enjoyable. I have always reveled in the setup of events, especially when various technology is involved. This just gave me an opportunity to set up for myself, which I must say was a wonderful experience.
At its core, this piece was a self-portrait and a cathartic one at that. The content of the work is very close to me and maybe not in a good way. That being said, I feel that it was definitely necessary to provide an avenue for me to externalize this content since bottling it up inside is not healthy especially for this circumstance. As I stated above the cathartic element of the piece was important and it was not something I had experienced with my making before. With that, I don’t see myself working with this content further but I do believe that this method of presentation is one I want to keep in my toolkit. The combination of projection, sonic interaction, and portrait are very powerful and provide the opportunity to create impact for various senses simultaneously; I definitely see myself using a similar setup for future projects.
Lastly, I’m excited to see how my peers react to this iteration and I can’t wait for their feedback so I can make the next version even better!