Adam Guzman: Thesis Blog

I met with Norman this past week to discuss my final 10 weeks of school.  We talked about the background of my research- influences from John Cage, Oskar Fischinger, Andy Warhol, DJ Spooky and David Byrne. It is important to contextualize my work when I present my final projects. My project has become investigative research. I want my practice to be expressive, creating instruments for designers and musicians to be expressive in this medium.

When I worked on the synced visual show, I was starting directly with an instrument ( the computer) and creating at the same time the music was going on. Now I am investigating a different approach, perhaps a shared instrument. The goal is to harvest enough experimental data so I can refine it and bring it back into a concert setting.

When using visuals to create sound, it is not about how free the user is to create the sound, but how expressive the sound becomes. Therefore, the user should not be in reactive mode when generating content. They should be the author. The topic becomes authored chance, not pure chance. So the prompts must appeal to one’s expressiveness. As designers, we deal with the uncertainties inside the drive of the human condition.  So we must develop new tools, new possibilities for discovery.

I had a meeting with one of my core advisors, Elise Koh. We discussed my two projects, Insistence of Vision and the untitled recursion project. The point of interest for my recursion project is addressing two questions: How can my music create visuals and how can my graphics create music? Answering these questions should be a process, without a finite answer. The goal is to have a myriad of experiments to address the questions, rather than trying to answer them. We discussed what form the visuals would take, and possibilites for interaction. She suggested looking into gaming as a possible motif. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that, I don’t intend for this to be similar to guitar hero by any means. Iterations will be posted soon.

The other project is inspired by synesthesia, but not limited to it. Insistence of Vision- referring to the persistence of vision and sound, and the interaction which takes place. The work is insistent with its point. You must be immersed to participate. It should be built and done by this coming week. Photos and project writing to come.

On Tuesday, I met with Ben Hooker, a member of the core faculty. I presented two ideas I have been working on for the last few weeks. The first is an installation- a further investigation of the project “small sounds.” I am making a 2 foot by 2 foot cube, lined with speakers and hard drives. The hard drives are modified to be a consistenly moving color wheel, based on persistence of vision. The speakers will be playing the amplified sound of the hard drive. I will achieve this by using ultrasonic microphones, the same microphones used in picking up bat’s communication signals. The viewer will step into the box, as if putting on a helmet. They will be immeresed in this barrage of sound and color.

This weekend, I met up with my colleague and good friend Chris Hamamoto. We discussed the ideas I have for my thesis projects. Chris has always been very good at articulating ideas. He has the ability to see things in a different light. He pointed out that my work so far (including the new idea I have for this term) is a social commentary. The immersion of technology. Each project is about creating an immersive experience for the viewer, but is immersion the right word? It’s almost as if I am trying to engulf the viewer. Does it get to the point where my projects are so immersive that I am able to break down a conscious barrier? How can I seize the viewer’s control to the point where they cannot control their physical or mental reaction?

Norman Klein has been an influence on my work since I started working with Nosaj Thing. He has a way about his words that makes sense with my nonsense. His constant spewing of ideas is integral to articulating my thoughts. I come to him with a vision. I say “Norman, I’m making a project that does this.” He says a million and one things in response.

When I began synching visuals with Nosaj Thing, Norman supported my ideas with a myriad of references. Fischinger has done this, this reminds me of this novel, you are playing with the diagetic space, talk to this person, etc. Now I have approached him with a new project.

The subliminal physical. Why did rock and roll get so loud? It goes right through your spine and warps your brain. David Byrne was right. The body understands its. Music is a sensation. How does it affect senses other than your hearing?

When you watch a movie, the sound has become so intense and exaggerated, it is meant to make the experience more believable in order to make the viewer comfortable. If there is dissonance between the sound and vision, the movie becomes something else. I am playing in this strange zone.

So what are my intentions? What can happen if I really get to the bottom of things?  I’m looking for a new direction in sound engineering and space. Performance and production. Musician and artist.

Praxis in my work is defined by goal-oriented actions. The action can be done for sake of being done, but will shape the end product.