White Room is an interdisciplinary performance-installation in which the audience's presence actively shapes the experience. As the audience moves through the arranged objects, they become a dynamic part of the installation, directly confronting the central themes of power and control. This journey invites a personal reflection on the nature of individual influence, or lack thereof, within societal systems. The installation functions as a microcosm of society, revealing how individual choices and actions can either uphold or resist dominant narratives and power dynamics. This project seeks to illuminate how people often unconsciously consent to the narratives of the ruling class, thereby relinquishing control over their perspectives and viewpoints. The goal is to heighten awareness of these dynamics and inspire active engagement in dismantling the status quo.
The space is arranged with an entrance at the back wall (bottom side).
The central area is divided into four distinct zones.
Screen 01: Located on the right wall.
Screen 02: Located on the front wall.
Ultrasonic Sensors: Placed near Screen 02, front wall (top side), and the Investigation Zone. They measure the distance of the audience from the screen or the cells (where musicians are hidden) and trigger visual and audio effects.
Photo Resistors: Placed in the Questioning and Investigating Zone. They send signals to performers and trigger effects.
Engagement Stations: Situated in the Propaganda and Questioning zones. Features knobs and buttons.
Small Hidden Button: Located near the exit/entrance area of the Propaganda zone, adds glitch noise and visuals.
Please find the layout (map) of the installation in the right image.
Each zone within the White Room is associated with specific musical material intended for the musicians. Throughout the entire installation experience, static electronic sounds provide a continuous sonic layer. The musicians then contribute additional sonic elements, effectively layering their performance on top of the electronic soundscape. Musicians receive specific instructions on how to interpret and perform the written musical passages linked to each zone. These performance cues are often triggered or informed by the LED signals, which correspond to audience activity detected by the photoresistors in the different zones. It is highly advisable for musicians to memorize their score and avoid using music stands, as this can reduce the effectiveness of the experience.
As illustrated in the layout, the installation space is divided into four distinct zones. Each of these zones has a specific name (Neutral, Propaganda, Questioning, and Investigating). However, these names are used only for the purpose of organizing and explaining the installation's structure and mechanisms. The audience is not meant to know these designations.
All the live instrument samples are recorded and performed by the artist.
Please note that this audio sample is just a simple mockup of how the installation experience might sound like.
This recording was made at the artist's studio and does not accurately represent the installation's layout and space. The purpose of this mockup is to demonstrate how interactions with the objects will look and how they affect the visuals and sounds. The programs used are Max and Ableton.
Description:
On the right side, you see two videos playing, which represent the videos on screen 01 and screen 02 in the installation space. During the installation, the buttons, knobs, and sensors will not all be located together as they are in this demonstration. They will be positioned in different areas. However, in this example, they show their functions with glitching effects, as well as the sound effects they produce.
Below, you will find screenshots of my Max patch, as well as the related files, linked to a Google Drive.
This is the main page of the Max patch, where we can view the sub-patches for screens 01 and 02, as well as Arduino patches that send data to the Max patch and Ableton.
This sub-patch illustrates how audience interaction affects screen 01.
Audience can play with the knobs and buttons in the Propaganda and Questioning zones to create audio and visual glitches, change the videos, and create diffent sound effects with the white noise.
Screen 02 sub-patch consists of two videos that get triggered by the audience's movements. The closer the audience gets to the screen, the more of the second video we can see. This is done through a crossfade effect that receives data from an ultrasonic sensor in the space.
The Arduino sub-patch receives data from potentiometers and transmits it to the Max patch. Additionally, the sensors trigger LED lights for the musicians, as they are confined to their cells (rooms) and cannot see outside.
