[ISEA2011] Paper: Suk Chon & Joonsung Yoon – Invisible performance in control room: Resonance between the performance and technical people

Abstract

ISEA2009, Group PERFORMATIVE announced the performance of combination dance and technology. Major topic of that was the real-time connectivity between dancers and visual images. In this time, I would like to introduce the inter-relationship between the performance and the action of inspired people by the performance.

Korean traditional music ‘Samul nori’ is composed of percussion instruments. And ‘Samul nori’ played impromptu performance using patterns of ancient rhythm. This feature of ‘Samul nori’ has been unchanged as the most of ancient music.

September, 12, 2010, Korean maestro ‘Duksoo Kim’ performed ‘Samul nori’ with Group PERFORMATIVE, the technical staff company. One is ensemble of big and small drums. The other is variation of 4 different types of percussion instruments. We used a visualization system generated by rhythm of percussion instruments in this performance.

Originally, we wanted to use various input sound factors like pitch, melody and rage in this system. In the simulation, however, we found too many input factors make too tacky result.

Therefore, we chose the rhythm, which makes the most dramatic result, as major factor.

And we programmed music’s volume and speed could affect the image’s size and visual effect. Besides, we added real-time operation function which could make more various images in performance. Fortunately, this change was more effective in the performance than the original plan.

At the performance, the most interesting situation has occurred in control room. During the performance, technical operator was immersed in rhythm of percussion instruments.

And he began to manipulate the operating system to improvise without his cognizance.

His inspired control has been synchronized to the performance. As a result, the accidental link was able to express the feature of music like originally planned.

I dare say the operator’s inspired control was invisible performance in control room.

  • Suk Chon is researcher of MAAT Labatory in Soongsil University, S. Korea. He is an artist in group PERFORMATIVE. His research field is New media art, Performance, Culture Industry and Cultural theory. He currently is president of RINNSOFT. This company has been active in the field of cultural Industry. maat.kr   .rinnsoft.com   performative.org/home
  • Dr. Joonsung Yoon is professor of Soongsil University at the Global School of Media. He studied life science, chemistry and fine arts before working with digital media in 1996. His research field is theory and practice of media art applying critical theory and cultural theory, and inducing organic relationships between information sciences and contemporary arts.  (B.S.1989: Sogang University, M.F.A.1993: Hongik University, M.A.1996; Ph.D.2001: New York University).

Full text (PDF) p. 419-421  [title slightly different]