Conducting VersuS
The idea of this project and my aim this semester was to bring and use part of my fine art practice within OF. I have used one of my linear designs titled “Versus” to be the theme of this presentation.
produced by: Georgios GreeKalogerakis (Antonogiannakis)
Conducting VersuS
VersuS is a design I made a year ago for a stainless steel laser cut and laser engraved piece and then developed it for a digital print on stainless steel mixing it with Coca Cola, Sprite and Fanta. This design has been inspired by a Greek song of a well known composer, originally performed by a Greek singer as well. “Αυτή η νύχτα μένει” (This is the only night left) is a sad and dark performance about a dramatic and martyric love affair. Most of its lyrics are poetic but specifically two lines touched me and triggered my inspiration… “Σε ψυχή ψαριού, κορμί γατίσιο” ( …in a fish soul but a cat’s body).
This is how VersuS was created more than a year ago.
The second semester I fount OSC interesting, for myself, amongst all interactive techniques we went through. Controlling a screen by a mobile device inspired me and Conducting VersuS is the result of this inspiration. In order to become a conductor I had to have a music, thus, I found on line a simple instrumental version of “ Αυτή η νύχτα μένει” and tried to “effect” VersuS design through my mobile.
Technically, I uploaded a png file and scanned through all pixels on the screen to find the brighter ones and use them. Those brightest pixels then have been stored in a mesh. Six different colorful displaying versions have been created in a timeline, as well as a mesh for each version in order to use the X, Y and Z values and give motion to my original png file. In this performance I distort, move and transform the selected brightest pixels based on music’s rhythm. The only block of external code used in my program is the OSC synchronizing part downloaded from the link provided in VLE. I thought of the song to be important part of this performance, so instead of editing the video and adding the music on it, I have uploaded the music in my code and adjusted the time of my draw function’s timeline related to the six colorful versions I had.
I chose the lab as the place to perform as I liked the technical background behind the screen, that is why I kept low lighting to have it seen. The original performance was in a dark space, so only the screen and myself could be seen, but because my fine art practice is quite technical, I decided to light on the surrounding lights of the lab and add as many technical devices and equipment as possible under and on the back of the projected screen as part of this performance.
References
My linear design titled VersuS and an instrumental version of the song Αυτή η νύχτα μένει.
