Still Life

In 2011, as part of Hack.Art.Lab, I collaborated with composer Mary Ellen Childs and percussionist Michael Holland to create live animation triggered by live performance of Mary Ellen Childs’ composition “Still Life.”

Still Life performance and discussion
Video courtesy of Wichita State University Media Resources Center

We analyzed the piece into 11 sections and created algorithmic video triggered by sound and motion to match each of the 11 sections. The video was projected in front of the players on a semi-transparent scrim.

The algorithms generating the video were statistical as opposed to deterministic. In addition, the performers themselves by nature will never perform the work identically between two performances. These two aspects guarantee that every performance of the piece will generate a unique and unrepeatable set of video during the performance.

We attached infrared LEDs to the performers’ percussion sticks so they could be tracked in real-time by 3 modified video cameras. From a high level I controlled the animation during the performance by tracking the section change and pressing the appropriate button on my custom software.

Similar Posts

  • Digital Puppetry

    I worked with a team of colleagues, community members, and urban youth. Our intention was to help the youth learn in a playful environment, find personal self-expression, and have their voices heard by communities in Boston. To do this, we adapted commercially available technology to provide a unique medium: digital puppetry.

  • Avian Migration

    In 2018 I collaborated with Artist Lisa Rundstrom and artist/engineer Tom McGuire to create the public art sculpture, Avian Migration at Wichita’s new Advanced Learning Library. Avian Migration consists of more than 1,300 LEDs controlled by 8 motion-activated sensors spread throughout the library. I was primarily responsible for the development and implementation of the software…

  • The Four Seasons

    I have performed the solo part to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in many venues with many orchestras, including with The Wichita Symphony Orchestra and on Mountain Stage. My performance with the WSU Chamber Players has been used on multiple independent films, commercial advertisements, and a variety of uploaded videos. It appears on Wikipedia, and has been…

  • SoundBlocks

    SoundBlocks is a tangible environment where youth connect blocks to describe network dataflow. The environment explores digital sound manipulation as a personal, meaningful and fun artistic endeavor, rather than as a venture into mathematical, electronic or networking relationships.

  • TechArtICT: Dreamgrass

    In Fall 2022, TechArtICT installed Dreamgrass at Exploration Place. The installation was presented as part of the Tallgrass Film Festival. Dreamgrass described a dystopian world where a corporate conglomerate called Happy Corp proudly demonstrated its aggressive use of 80s technology to pacify children. Dreamgrass featured Wichita artists Ernie Kind, Tom McGuire, Kyra Rubinstein, Pankaja Withanachchi,…