Category Archives: Research

The One With The Construction Video Walk

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Here is the point of view of the video walk for the 2nd mini exercise.

The concept here is to ‘change’ the space into a different one through the use of Projectors and screens. Videos and visuals are being projected onto the floor and blinds to make a new space, in the case, a construction place and a housing estate.

The concept here touches on construction and developments of buildings and infrastructure. With the sound of bricks being played, it urged the user to experience a never ending sound of construction, which is a representation on today’s modern society.

Above is the video that you guys can experience.

 

The One With More Construction Ideas

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Dear OSS, I am here again to share my latest ideas on the first installation that I am going to embark. I am excited as much as nervous to tell you the truth. There are so many great ideas out there but unfortunately, I have to restrict myself to think even harder as I have to consider these few things. Firstly, budget. This will be a self funded project but I remember Prof. LPD mention something about ‘a little bit of money for the class’. Budget will determine if I want to go big or I need to buy any specific materials to make the idea a reality. Secondly, availability. I am not sure how available are certain materials is, for example, a big block of steel. Or any materials for that matter, if I can’t get the right materials or equipments, then my idea is a far fetch one.

But anyway, as I have mentioned on previous posts, I have decided to go on the theme of construction this semester. So my ideas have more or less the theme of construction. For my first inspiration, here is a sound installation by the one and only Zul Mahmood, a local Singaporean. I believed he teaches Sound Art in ADM before back then. Here’s one of the works he showed in the Singapore Art Museum. The composition is based on the National Anthem, Majulah Singapore.

Here’s more photographs of the installation. I managed to see it the other day when I went there. It was quite amazing actually!

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Sound installation commissioned by Singapore Art Museum. The sound composition is based on the national anthem, Majulah Singapura. It consists of 52 solenoids, 12 electromagnets, 2 micro controllers, computer, copper pipes, bass and guitar strings and 12 speakers.

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Sound installation commissioned by Singapore Art Museum. The sound composition is based on the national anthem, Majulah Singapura. It consists of 52 solenoids, 12 electromagnets, 2 micro controllers, computer, copper pipes, bass and guitar strings and 12 speakers.

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Sound installation commissioned by Singapore Art Museum. The sound composition is based on the national anthem, Majulah Singapura. It consists of 52 solenoids, 12 electromagnets, 2 micro controllers, computer, copper pipes, bass and guitar strings and 12 speakers.

So how is this going to be included in my idea? Stay tune to the next post to find out!

The One With The Safety Hat Documentation Video

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Here is the final documentation video for the first exercise.

Through out this semester, I am going to produce works that is along the theme of Construction.

This will help me to stay within a theme and challenge myself to be more creative in terms of working around this theme.

It is also relevant in our Singapore’s society.

This idea was spark with this first exercise when I am using the yellow helmet.

The One With The Final Construction

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Today on the 2nd of February 2016, week 4 of the second semester, we showed our assignment of changing one’s perception by making a device or some sort. My final product was a helmet, to be worn to experience emptiness and also the echo of voidhelmet4-1This is me showing a demo on how my device work.helmet4-2You put it over your head and you’re done. It was quite special to me because it was my first work that i did some hands on work with the drill.helmet4-3 Even though you can’t see the face of the user, somehow it has a face, due to the texture of the helmet.

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It was amazing to see how my professor was wearing it and was knocking himself onto the wall. It somehow make sense because that is what construction helmet is made to last. helmet4-8

When the other classmates was trying on my device, it was exciting to see how they would move themselves. Most people took small baby steps in order to avoid any objects. That is totally normal as we will be cautious of our surroundings as we cannot see what is in front of us. It hurts not knowing what is right in front but not able to see it. helmet4-11

To conclude, I think this concept of mind can be further extend to a photography series or a short film. I feel it somehow talk about the construction society, which Singapore is one example. Foreign workers who are the ones who usually adorn this yellow helmets, following orders from their employer. This would be a good topic to tackle.

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I will be compiling a video as soon as I got the time to edit.

Take care and remember to wear your helmet.

The One With The Yellow Helmet

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So here it is, I’ve completed the construction of my helmet and I will titled this piece ‘The Head’. Actually I haven’t made up my mind yet.

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As I get my material which is the helmet, i tried to get the shape together by trying out different combination. Taping it together by masking tape, I tried to get the shape to stay and it kinda work but this combination is not really covers the side of the head. helmet2-3As you can see below, this combination does not cover the side and it is redundant as it won’t allow full protection. So I explore more different shapes and decided to get one more helmet into the mix. 3F2A6792 copy

After getting one more helmet, I took the design of my first sketch actually. Visually it looks pleasing as well!

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I also realise when I was wearing it, it has an echo as the helmet is shape as such. It adds another element to it i guess.

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The helmet is joined by making a simple drill and tighten it by bolt and nut.

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Finding the right place to join was quite a challenge as well cause I would need to find the right spot.helmet-4

Here’s a look from the inside.helmet-5

Will share with you readers especially su hui, with the documentation photograph next!

The One With The Interactive Space Analog Idea

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I started thinking about the analog interactive space installation as soon as the assignment was told to us during class. This was my first initial idea. Using Multi plug as the main object, I want to multiply them to lay out to form a pattern or a shape. Take a look at my sketchbook below for my reasoning and concept.

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Yeah, as you can see, it is very simple and I was inspired by William Forsythe’s work, especially the work titled Nowhere and Everywhere at the Same Time No. 2. It is very minimal, clean but at the same time, capture your attention.

NOWHERE AND EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME, NO.2

NOWHERE AND EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME, NO.2

NOWHERE AND EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME, NO.2

NOWHERE AND EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME, NO.2

I envision the multi plug to be in a very geometric patterns and visitors are able to interact with them by actually changing the patterns and making their own.

I also managed to read up on Gernot Bohme’s article titled ‘The art of the stage set as paradigm for an aesthetics of atmospheres’. Basically an article exploring the definition of Atmosphere and how it is important in a stage work and I find it is also relevant in interactive installation or any artwork for that matter.

As I read the article, I took down some points to make summarise the article in my own way. It is quite insightful as atmosphere is important to allow the visitors/audience to want to interact with the surroundings. 4

As my analog idea is still in the early stage, I feel there could be some development however, I really like how this idea feels so simple and strong, at least to me. The interaction to my work could be open and I want that for this idea. But we shall see. The professor has suggest that I add some element of electricity in it to make like a sound work. Googled Christina Kubisch and her work on the idea of an Electricity Walks is pretty interesting. I shall make another post on her works next.

 

 

The One With The Construction

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So the anticipating trailer for my first assignment for Interactive Spaces is here. Not finally here but it’s here.

Again just to share about my project.  The perception of a safety helmet is to project your head while one is working on a construction place. Now, I made a helmet which does not allow one to see but I would argue that you be totally safe as it protects your whole head instead of just the top of your head.

I look forward for tomorrow’s class.

The One With The Yellow Hat

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My second idea was a little more realistic. I decided to think simple, compared to my previous idea. I choose a yellow Construction helmet. Below is my sketch and my reasoning behind it.

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As the construction helmet is to actually protect our head from any falling objects in construction site, I still feel that it can still kill you.

So I see the head as the main concept here, which we use everyday. We see with our eyes which is on our head, we use our brain which is located inside our head and in a way, it is our temple, where we keep our insanity and where we make sense of everything.

I wanted to challenged that notion with making a construction helmet which covers the whole head instead of just the top of our head. In terms of our assignment in twisting our perception, I think it relates because when one is wearing this helmet, not only they can’t see, they are practically super safe, because  the helmet is covering the whole face! You do not have to worry about poking yourself in the eye while you walk!

This was the idea that I am trying to play with.

I also make some sketches that I imagine the helmet will look like.

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I bought the helmets and start to assemble them with tape to just see how it will look like. I even wear it to see if it fits.

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For now, it is still ongoing as we speak.

The One With The Perception

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My first initial idea was to actually imitate Daredevil!

Even though he lost his sense of sight, he was still able to ‘see’ with his other senses. When it was raining, he was able to ‘see’ as he is able to make images with his hearing!

I did a little bit of research on that and it is called Human Echolocation. What it does is basically using your voice as a sound wave and when it hit an item or obstruction in front, the sound wave bounce back and it will tell the distance. Yeah surreal. Take a look at the video below.

Below is another way how it works which I sketch.

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So how I imagine my device would be is something that is wearable like a goggle. Inside the goggle is a monitor but it doesn’t display anything until you make some noise to illustrate the sound wave. Then it will show what is infront of you which is capture by a camera attached in front.

I tried to break this possible project into 3 parts if I were to do it in Max/msp.

  1. The camera. Which will capture the video and display it to the goggle.
  2. The sensor. I was not sure which sensor will allow me to achieve my idea though.
  3. Patching the sensor’s result with the camera’s display.

At the end of the day, I decided to abort this mission as in terms of manpower and time, I cannot afford it. However, I could try something similar if I have a semester.

I found some similar project by Kyle Duffield.

http://www.kyleduffield.com/echolocation.html

Echolocation (Dynamic Aural Fragmentation) is an interactive installation that creates an immersive sonar environment for the viewer, allowing them to spatially explore and engage with aural/kinetic events of their own creation. This audio/visual installation exaggerates fundamental acoustic principles, causing spatial perceptions through the observation of sound in a quadraphonic, panoramic setup. Using the experience and perception of a bat as a foundation, the installation examines how different species share the same physical laws, but utilize them in different ways – in this scenario, the sense of hearing. Echolocation (Dynamic Aural Fragmentation) is not meant to be a direct simulation, but rather a stylized, abstracted representation that works to translate the dominant perceptual system of a bat (hearing) into the dominant perceptual system of most humans (sight).

 

The One With The Tension

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A little exercise we did with a plastic cling wrap to explore the idea of tension.

As the plastic has the properties and characteristic of being able to stretch and pull, I feel it is okay to use the material however, being soft, it tends to tear up easily.

Wrapping my classmates is not really that fun actually. By going around them wrapping them, I was creating tension among them by forcing them to be tight and to move closer to each other. Tension can also be viewed as a mental and emotional state as well, other than physical tension.

I think this is a good exploration to look at, being mentally tension, which could lead to an interaction with the audience and the artwork.

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