at Audible Garden, Korean Culture Centre UK, London, UK, JUL 21 - 13 OCT, 2023
©Korean Cultural Centre UK
By casting the external world in a surreal green shade, it disrupts the usual dichotomy of inside and outside, disrupting the everyday and introducing something unfamiliar. Yet, this window serves not merely as a visual spectacle, but an auditory one as well. Resonance speakers are used to emanate sounds that absorbs and resonates with the ambient noises of its environment, offering an acoustic reflection of reality that's both an integral and distinct part of the world it mirrors. This delayed echoing of sounds, paired with the green-tinted panorama, interrogates our established spatial perceptions, urging a rethinking of the boundary between real and virtual. A camera, positioned towards the street, captures everyday scenes and activities. The sonification algorithm first converts the video frames into grayscale, then translates these grayscale values into corresponding MIDI notes. This process forms the raw data for sound translation. The algorithm assigns a velocity to each MIDI note, determined by the darkness of the respective grayscale pixel. The resultant sound, a dynamic reflection of the everyday view, is then subtly broadcast both within the exhibition space and outside on the sidewalk. This provides visitors with a unique multi-sensory experience that seamlessly merges the visual and auditory worlds, irrespective of their current location.
Green Filter on 27m Glass Window with 2 Resonance Speakers and a webcam
Photo by Dan Weill, Courtesy of the KCCUK