' FREE ? are We? ' : A real time projection and interaction performance

FREE ?? are WE ??

The Poster I designed for the event

The performance/installation talks about the notion of the illusion of freedom. The idea that no one ever has the ultimate freedom and that there are always forces keeping everyone under control of some sort.

 VIDEO: 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6HIKgc4rkM

ABOUT THE INSTALLATION AND THE VISUALS 

An Installation created (using the kinect and processing) on the concept of the illusion of personal freedom. We are bound by some form of restriction always be it family, society, gender, body etc. still most feel that they have the personal freedom to choose whatever they want to do with their life, live in the illusion that they themselves control their own life. The Concept of freedom itself is an illusion; the installation is a playful attempt to stir the question in the minds of the audience.

The Installation works by the audience interacting/moving in front of the Kinect and in return observing the real time changes in the projection according to his/her movements and the keys pressed.

There are three effects/visuals created, all projecting the concept of illusion and what forces “confine” our freedom.

Ideal distance for interaction with the device: 6ft

EFFECT 1-

PRESSING ‘SHIFT’ KEY: “FIND YOU FREEDOM”

The closer one moves to the kinect the body disintegrates and its easier to “find” ones freedom (literally), where as the farther one moves the freedom is lost and a condensed image is seen.

EFFECT 2-

PRESSING ‘CNTRL’ KEY: “ ITS ALL AROUND YOU”

Moving ones hands (palm facing the kinect) generates text movement. The text contains all the forces that are responsible in limiting ones “freedom”, and the projection shows the person surrounded and between these forces, the more one moves the hands, the text keeps generating.

 EFFECT 3-

PRESSING ‘ALT’ KEY: “BEHIND ‘sound generating’ BARS”

The image projected is of the viewer behind bars and as you touch the bar a sound is created and the ‘meaning’ of the bar is shown as text. The image shows the caging of personal freedom and the bars represent the forces that make the caging possible.

CREDITS for creating the codes :

• ·       Processing library examples – OPEN NI
• ·       Daniel Shiffman examples and vimeo channel ( Particle System Class)
• ·       ‘Making Things See’ by Greg Borenstein
• ·       ‘Learning processing’ by Daniel shiffman

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE:

 
The visuals are divided into two, one projected using the machine and coding and the other performed. The projected visuals are part of the interactive display, where the viewer again gets transformed to a performer using the mode of interaction by pressing keys from the keyboard and in return viewing certain visuals with them making the changes to the visuals. There are three keys and three effects for interaction. First, where the audience can see a negative image projected of themselves and by waving or moving their hand, they can start the movement of text all around them. The text that falls/moves are the stereotypical notions that confines one’s freedom. The second effect is where, again the viewer views the projected negative image of themselves this time behind bars and when the bar gets touched by moving ones hands the hidden text along with the sound is heard. The drum sounds are put in for a playful effect and also to create a kind of noise. When touched, the bars change color and the words confining ones freedom are seen again. The last effect is where I want the viewer to ‘find their freedom’. The closer the viewer moves to the kinect, the more disintegrated their bodies become, showing the word freedom within them where as the farther u move, the word disappears and the consolidated body is seen.

For the performance and the installation I wanted to create a web/mesh-like area where people are interacting with the space and with each other, and moving to a soundtrack of interviews, where people are defining 'their' personal freedom. Their restricted movements redefine the meaning of the illusion of freedom. The more they feel that they are moving freely, the more they realize how restricted they are. The connection between the performing bodies in the mesh and the performance interaction with the kinect gets strengthened and create a combined aura and effect and re-establish the underlying concern of the illusion of freedom.

The performers for this performance were from different fields of practice, may it be theatre dance or fine art. The idea was to involve all and experiment with those movements that come out either because of interacting with each other or with interacting in a specific space together, improvising in the performers specific stylized movements.

The continuous shuffle of the performers between the net/mesh and the kinect space was also suggestive of the idea that in spite of full space of movement and “freedom” of movement, when in the space provided for kinect installation, the performing bodies were still trapped within the projection and within the effects created around them in the projection. Whether in the mesh, or in the kinect installation, the performer was always restricted and bound either by the web of threads or by simply being locked in the projected space of the wall...

The basic idea was to make the audience/viewer think deeply about the question "are we free?",and also redefining the idea of personal freedom by using the statements of a set of people and projecting and presenting it to the people/audience.

would love some feedback,criticism,appreciation...anything. :)

Share and support my creative endeavour.

love,

Gunjan :)