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Smart Space |
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(April 2002 - April 2003)
Smart Space was a programme of technical and artistic research into interactive performance systems. The programme aimed to give artists and technicians time to experiment together, to generate new creative ideas and to develop the technical expertise of the Junction and partner venues. The project involved several artists, including resident artists Fecund Theatre Company. The project was supported by Eastern Touring Agency’s Virtual Stages scheme.
Smart Space aimed to build a bridge from the simple use of projection, digital video and sound in performance art to an integrated and imaginative approach to the possibilities of digital tools. The spectrum of techniques and tools explored ranged from powerful and advanced software to cheap motion sensors developed for security systems. The research investigated creative possibilities that are inconceivable without digital technology including:
• spaces where sound and visuals are triggered by the movement of audiences or performers
• systems that allow performers real-time control of the digital elements of their performance
• performances and installations that merge virtual and physical space
• technologies that mediate between spaces (real and virtual) and people
Technical Research and Development
This first stage of the project provides an overview of the field, researched and compiled by Chris Rogers, Multimedia Technician (please see R&D word document). It includes:
• a survey of existing systems (e.g. Big Eye, Very Nervous System) the limitations, special features of each system
• information on where and how these systems were developed
• information on costs related to systems
R&D word document
Performances and workshops
Smart Space aimed to show audiences in Cambridge and the east of England some of the best international work in interactive performance, as well as allowing technicians and resident artists the chance to learn from leading practitioners in the field.
Todd Winkler and Cindy Cummings: Hitch’s Bitches and Falling Up
Irish dancer Cindy Cummings and American digital artist Todd Winkler were invited to Cambridge to show their unique collaborative performance work using the technologies Max/MSP and the Very Nervous System.
Double bill performances of Hitch’s Bitches and Falling Up were presented at the Cambridge Drama Centre and Colchester Art Centre.
Cindy and Todd gave a professional level workshop for artists and technicians from across the East of England. They demonstrated how they used the Max/MSP environment with the Very Nervous System and NATO externals. This system allowed Cindy’s choreographed motion to trigger and manipulate the ‘digital’ elements of their shows, i.e. the soundtrack and both live and pre-recorded video.
A fine balance was achieved between explanations of technical procedures and questions of artistic implementation. Particular attention was paid to how systems such as these achieve a level of interaction, rather than just simply mapping. For example, to be able to raise one’s hand and trigger a sound sample is one thing, but what is introduced into the artistic process when the sound that is replayed then causes you to adapt the motion you make? True interaction should cause a synthesis between two bodies and both artists stressed how they felt this synthesis was an important ingredient in the work they produce.
Workshop excerpts
Workshop: part 1
Workshop:part 2
Hitch's extract
(To view the links, you will need to use 'Quicktime 6' available to download from www.apple.com/quicktime)
Sophia Lycouris, Stan Wijans and David Stevens: Interactive Systems Workshop
This day-long workshop expanded upon ideas and systems introduced by Cindy and Todd as well as introducing some new ideas providing an opportunity for one-to-one experimentation with the technology.
David Stevens lead a session on bespoke sensor technologies for interacting with Max/MSP and introduced the iCube – a device that attempts to make analogue sensor interactivity easier by providing ‘of-the-shelf’ solutions.
Stan Wijans demonstrated some work using the Soundbeam system, an ultrasonic solution for detecting relative position, while Sophia Lycouris expanded further upon the performer’s relationship with technology – stressing in particular the importance improvisation has within her work.
Fecund Theatre Company: Interactive Systems Residency
Smart Space culminated with a week-long experimental lab for Fecund, the resident company and the Junction technicians. The lab gave those involved in the project the chance to practice their new skills and apply them creatively.
The Cambridge Drama Centre was transformed into a small lab/performance area for a week in December.
Throughout the course of The Junction’s Smart Space project one of the main objectives has been to try and find a way to integrate technologies already familiar to visual artists and dancers into a more traditional theatrical performance. Often the problem with this is that theatre tends to rely more on exact cues, whereas the nature of the technology often means that an improvisational approach is necessary. To try and explore this a great deal of our time was spent exploring the limitations of the systems we had.
Adjacent to a small performance space were set-up three workstations complete with different technologies. We worked further with the soundbeam system, looked at Steim’s BigEye, and used a device from Ircam called AtomicPro (similar in nature to the iCube described earlier).
It was quickly determined that MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) was the best method for inter-application communication and the week was largely spent creating set-ups in Max/MSP which would allow the different systems to be used in conjunction with each other.
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