[ISEA2019] Paper: Nigel Helyer & Jon Drummond — Heavy Metal and the Oratorio for a Million Souls

Abstract

Keywords: Art and Science, Data Sonification, Environmental Soundart, Art and Biology

This paper explores different approaches to the sonification and visualisation of two environmental projects:- “Heavy Metal” is focussed upon the real-time analysis and sonification of the chemical elements in a painting via a camera vision system, whilst “Oratorio for a Million Souls” concerns the behaviour and acoustic properties of live bee colonies manifest in the creation of real-time multi-channel sound compositions and associated sound architectures. Whilst these two projects differ in terms of methodology, aesthetics and technical approach they both share a direct concern with a deep analysis of the underlying environmental structures and perceptual frameworks that emerge in direct ‘live’ encounters — on one
hand the discovery of what lies behind the surface of a painted image in terms of chemical and colour structures — and in the case of Oratorio, a compelling immersion into the acoustic
environment of Bees.

  • Dr Nigel Helyer, (aka DrSonique) is a contemporary polymath whose work links Art and Science to embrace the environment; identity and cultural history. He has an international reputation as a sculptor and sound-artist who creates large scale sound-sculptures, environmental artworks and interactive bio-art projects that prompt the community to engage with their cultural histories, identity and sense of place; inviting us to examine the abstract conditions of our world and our complex relationships to it. Nigel is the
    director of SonicObjects; Sonic Architecture and an Adjunct Professor in the school of Media, Music, Communications and Cultural Studies at Macquarie University, Australia. sonicobjects.com
  • Dr Jon Drummond is an academic, composer and sound artist whose work explores interactive electroacoustics, robotics, sonification of natural phenomena, acoustic ecology, and real-time interactive performance systems for acoustic instruments. His works have been presented at many festivals and conferences, including The Adelaide Festival, the International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), the International Computer Music Conferences (ICMC), New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME), and the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology (WFAE). His research interests include human-computer interaction design, new interfaces for musical expression, gesture analysis, improvisation, sound spatialisation and data sonification. Jon is an Associate Professor at the School of Creative Industries, the University of Newcastle, Australia.

Full text (PDF) p.  18-23