Tag: performance

Project update (Week 12)

Final dress

Final dress
Final dress

Adding boning to the sleeves to create wavy appearance

2
Front view of sleeves
Back view of sleeves
Back view of sleeves

 

Continuation on dress making

Sewing three horizontal strips on the under layer of the dress as ‘pockets’ for the RGB LED strips

3 horizontal strips to function as pockets for the RGB LED strips
3 horizontal strips to function as pockets for the RGB LED strips

Under layer of dress with lights on

5
Red (255, 0, 0), Blue (0, 0, 255), Orange (255, 77, 0), Purple (153, 0, 255), Yellow (255, 255, 0)

My choice of 5 different lights, namely: Red, Blue, Orange, Purple and Yellow was inspired from the colours of a jellyfish.

Image of jellyfishes
Colourful jellyfishes
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White (255, 255, 255)
White illuminating jellyfish
White illuminating jellyfish

My choice of white colour comes from its representation of peace, innocence and tranquility. The representations supports my idea of a calm, sane and quiet state of mind.

Infrared sensor and Lilypad main circuit board with power bank to operate the light strip

Infrared sensor and Lilypad main circuit board
Infrared sensor and Lilypad main circuit board
Sewing with conductive thread to connect the Lilypad with the wires
Sewing with conductive thread to connect the Lilypad with the wires
Sewing on a piece of cloth to make a pouch and a button to secure the Lilypad and power bank in the pocket.
Sewing on a piece of cloth to make a pouch and a button to secure the Lilypad and power bank in the pocket.

I couldn’t have managed a dress without constant encouragement and guidance from my professor, Galina. She taught me the technique of two layered dress (she always surprises me) and she pushes me to think “avant-garde”. This is the first dress I made for myself! Whether my dress looks like a white Christmas tree, colourful white Christmas tree, or a wedding dress, I feel satisfied with my first attempt and feel that the countless nights I spent making it paid off.

Music and Performance

I chose to incorporate opera music piece to my performance because I like the idea of dramatic voice that wobbles like a jellyfish (rather, the smooth and sonorous vibrations inherent in a natural voice). Randall has suggested Chinese opera music in specific which feels closer to my race (as a Chinese) and the addition of distortions in the sound whenever my crazy jellyfish persona surfaces. (In short, I really like Randall’s suggestions and I am awed at his wonderful expertise on managing sound systems.)

In addition to the music, I have consulted my professor, Naga, for guidance to make the lights blink at 1 second intervals and the colourful lights to increase in blinking rate (speed) every 5 seconds from a starting blinking rate of 1.5 seconds to 10 milliseconds (which is 1500 to 10). (In short, Naga is an intelligent and awesome man.)

Project Update (Week 11)

Continuation of dress making
After sewing on the polyester fabric onto the top layer of the dress, I include pockets of cloth sewn onto the under layer of the dress to include the electronics in.
After sewing on the polyester fabric onto the top layer of the dress, I include pockets of cloth sewn onto the under layer of the dress to include the electronics in.

 

A run test after including the electronics
A run test after including the electronics

 

 

 

Performance – “Look at ME”

My performance starts off from a quiet chanting of “Look at me” as I make four different hand actions.

The four actions are:

  1. moving my hands in a rotational way before me along the level of my torso (While saying “Look at me!”). when I want to project my idea to someone, my hands move outwards to convey what I mean .
  2. raising my hands in the air and pointing at the ceiling to check if there is a roof above me or not (While saying “Look at me!”).
  3. patting my face frantically (While saying “Look at me!”).
  4. patting my chest frantically (While saying “Look at me!”).
  5. Repeats actions above.

As I progress through the actions, my voice increases in volume. I become more agitated and dramatic in my actions, such that my actions no longer follow an order and I start pulling at my hair.

Crazy impression made by flipping and messing up my hair.
Crazy impression made by flipping and messing up my hair. Reference photograph by Charlene, Illustration by Ong Xin Hong

At my craziest moment, I suddenly become quiet and stand at the middle of the room/ space while I comb through my hair. The action of combing my hair represents distraction, frustration and anxiousness – “Oh no, I lost so much hair!

To be continued