Synopsis As if my research subject is about sound, I planned to make an effort my experimental solo project as a sound performance. This has 4 main parts of time periods which are Ancient silence, Industrial revolution sounds, 21st century urban noises, and my own prediction of sonic future. As a presentation, I am interested in not only sound as it is but also using other elements as if I mentioned in my proposal for final project. Thus, I will investigate some materials such as fabrics or some pieces of paper with sound and see how they are merged together to explode my ideas for final pieces. Mainly, the performance would be played in a small room and a lot of long-pieced materials are hung from the ceiling densely as if we are in the forest. The place is divided in 4 sections with different materials to represent each time eras and audiences would be lead by sound and lights without performers.
Time frame for installation and strike 28, 29th of April (28th : Preparations, 29th : Performance, in the evening)
Equipment needs for performance 4 Speakers 1 Amp and control pad 4 Lights Natural fibre fabrics Pieces of paper
What I mostly liked about the play was the ‘simple’. Compare to our performance it had significantly different style and atmosphere which is simple but huge effect with only performer, sound and video. Furthermore, as a Korean, it was kind of a new experience of seeing Korean traditional performance. I used to love traditional plays and they were all performed by Koreans (Obviously) but in this case, it was sort of untraditional but kept the Korean play’s atmosphere effectively. Especially in the beginning, when the performer started with an old Korean poem which is very sad, I nearly cried. She understood what they meant, expressed the grace of moderated and profound Korean poems very well. On the other hand, they concentrated too much on the only simple effect. The lighting was too simple, so not enough bright to see what performer is doing in the end, and didn’t have strong effect when they reached the climax; it had quite loud and effective sounds that the show had a climax but couldn’t see what is happening there properly. In overall, I believe that it was successful and due to the good team work, they showed that what they wanted the most. Well done!
How do we absorb ‘ART’ when we see the ‘ART’? Some of them would be known immediately what is the artist’s thought, but some are quite hard to understand what they want to be expressed. I have been to a sound performance called The Sound Source, CRAZY WISDOM to be inspired for my final project which is going to be a sound installation performance. They showed the diversity of the expressing sound art with a lot of methods. It was experimental, interesting or unusual. Particularly engaging with the cellist Anton Lukoszeviesze’s performance was quite interesting. I had absolutely no idea about his career before. He co-curated the performance and appeared on the stage as a performer as well. What he mostly did during the performance was making random sounds with his bow and fingers. Sometimes he hit the body of cello, rubbed or scratched strings with different tempos (personally I sympathised with the cello). To be perfectly honest, I couldn’t stop giggling during the performance. It was like a comedy such as somebody pretends that this is a very serious play and that makes us laugh with the ironic situation. On the other hand, while I felt it is like a comedy, some other audiences clapped their hands in applause passionately. They didn’t mean to mock at the performer, they seriously loved the performance. How could it be happened at the same time in the same place watching same work? Was I not serious in the play? Am I not taking the art seriously? It could not only depend on audiences’ personal emotion, perception or background knowledge, but also be considered with the method of expressing artists’ ideas to absorb them. Artists have their own way to communicate with spectators using various materials. As if the example of this sounds performance artist, Anton Lukoszeviesze, even though he took the unusual sounds with his cello to communicate with his audience, but he failed at least with me by taking the method. It was much closer to noise for me. However, I was wondering if music experts, who understand the medium very well, hear it, would they understand what he is performing? What if he used painting instead of performing with cello, would it be easy to understand for me?
I believe it is the portion of artist’s decisions to choose materials for expressing ideas. Anton Lukoszeviesze voiced himself with his cello, Andy Warhol picked a tomato soup can with screen prints. Throughout this experience, I became aware of how important to choose medium to make the spectators to get on with my idea. I would be concerned with not only regarding as representing my ideas but also deciding mediums and displaying them effectively.
(When the lights come back up once agian they have a harsher quality than before and are shining directly at the actor, who is standing motionless in the middle of the room. He has taken off his house coat and underneath it is revelaed that he is wearing a kaki t-shirt and a pair of beat up jeans. He is waiting, impatient, nervous. The two characters are disturbing by the sound of a woman's scream.)
VOICE 2 : What's that?
VOICE 1 : Nothing. There is always some carelessness on both sides.
VOICE 2 : But that cry? A woman's cry? A call for help perhaps? It's disturbing. You hear?
VOICE 1 : I told you, you mustn't think about it anymore. And you must stop listening to the sounds from outside.
(The scream is heard again. The second character helps the first to remove the bandages that are wrapped around his face. Underneath another formless mask becomes visible.)
VOICE 1 : But I told them to be quiet. Good thing I remembered to cover the windows with padded curtains.
VOICE 2 : That wasn't a make believe scream.
VOICE 1 : How do we know? And what does it matter?
(A noise is heard, as if something has fallen in the next room, in a natural tone.)
VOICE 1 : Oh what is that? What is it? Can't they leave me in peace. What's going on?
VOICE 2 : Nothing at all. Someone must have dropped something. You're getting nervous.
VOICE 1 : May I have a look outside?
VOICE 2 : Just a quick one because it's getting late.
(Both characters move to a part of the wall stage right where the tear away pieces of the wall so that they can peer out. From behind the wall doors that open on to the theatre are pulled open and through them a very bright light shines. Penetrating the darkness of the room. Both masked character turn to the audience as the army men drop to the floor and the doors close once again blocking out the flood light from outside.)
VOICE 1 : Come over here. Come over here. Have a look outside. Have a look outside. Have a look outside.
(Taking each member of the audience by the shoulders, the masked characters direct them to little peep-holes in the walls. Through these they can see little scenarios involving toy soldiers. The audience may also listen to head phones that are playing cartoonish sounds which are stereotypically connected to war. While the audience look through the peep holes the two masked characters join hands in the centre of the room and observe the audience. Images of glorified war are projected on all walls, lighting the actor and audience simultaneously. After sometime a pink light comes up behind the wall . The room is a glow a hushed voice begins to whisper urgently. The character in the morrored mask stands up on a box and prepareds to tell a story.
-The end of scene #5-
Scene #6-1( Scene 6-1,2,3 would be overlapped in the nearly end bits)
VOICE 1 : It's evening in an apple orchard the sky is calm and pink the earth is bathed in a sudden peace. The moan of doves. The peace that precedes battles. The air is very still. An apple has fallen to the grass.
(The actor grasps the apple through the hole in the wall)
VOICE 1 : A yellow apple. Things are holding their breath. War is declared. The evening is very mild. We're at the edge of the meadows. But suddenly death has pricked my ears. Things are lit up in an ultimate goodness. The water lay motionless in pools. The wind itself was awaiting an order to unfurl the flags. Suddenly all was fire and sword! Splinters of shells had gashed the lemons. Now death was in action.
VOICE 2: Shut up! You liar! Shut up!! (Tossing the apple aside)
VOICE 1 : I wanted to disenchant. You've got to realise that. (pointing to the audience) They need me. I'm like a pool in which they behold thenselves.
VOICE 1 : When it's over, their minds are clear. I can tell from their eyes. Suddenly they understand mathematics. They love their children and their country. It brings consolation.
VOICE 2 : Hell No! None of that. That sort of thing would shoot them into a heaven of abstractions, where they'd hang permanently. You've got to leave them in their living reality. Let there be poems and pictures, but they mustn't give pleasure, they've got to sting.
VOICE 1 : Reality frightens you, doesn't it? Would it preturb you to see things as they are? To gaze at the world tranquilly and accept responsibility for your gaze, whatever it might see?
(sound of gun fire in the distance)
VOICE 2 : Who is it? Our side? Or rebels? Or...someone dreaming?
VOICE 1 : Stop listening. You seem anxious. Has anything happened?
-Scene #6-2-
(Suddenly darkness and the real mournful cries of a baby are heard from the balcony, outside of the TV studio. and it transforms into baby cries of our lives. This noise must have a different quality to all those that have preceded it as it is the sound that will end the performance. The door to the corridor leading out of the TV studio is opened and a wind machine batters the audience as they are ushered out of the TV studio by the actors.
-Scene #6-3-
VOICE 1+2 : Come along...Get out...Get along clear out of here... You've nothing further to do But you've got to leave... Your times up... I don't know what you're doing and I haven't the right to enquire...Don't laeve us alone. Gentlemen you are free. You'll leave by the narrow door that leads to the alley way.
Basically, our group performance is mainly running by sounds without actual actors' lines. Thus the role of sound design is very important and I would like to have some feedbacks for a better result. Some other scenes will be updated soon, please leave your opinions of the sounds. Thanks and Enjoy them.
Ambient Noise Scene#1
(The audience enters the corridor of the TV studio. It is very dark. They are greeted with ambient noises of our lives and are kept in this space for approximately 2 minutes until a voice is heard...)
VOICE 1 : Someone opened the door...who can it be at this time of night? Who is it?
(A match flares up in the balcony of the corridor. It is held by a masked figure. The mask is made of broken pieces of mirror that reflect and multiply the light around the space. The voice continues...)
VOICE 1 : Oh...you... you were late. Where the hell were you?
What's happening outside? Do you have any news? What about the war? Where is the war?
I wouldn't take the liberty of asking your opinions. Everyone is free and I'm not concerned with politics.
Real life... You mustn't think about it anymore. And you must stop listening to the sounds from outside.
(laugh) What you call outside is as mysterious to us as we are to it.
Viewed from here... life seems to be so remote, so profound. That it has all the unreality of a film.
We have reached the point at which we can no longer be actuated by human feelings. Our function will be to support, establish and justify metaphors.
(The door to the TV studio suddenly flings open and from inside an eerie purple light glows. The masked figure on the balcony extinguishes the match and points through the door to indicate to the audience that they must enter. The voice continues.)
VOICE 1 : Turn left and be careful they don't spot you. When you get to the windows hug the wall on all fours. They are shooting from the roofs.
-End of Scene#1-
Ambient Noise Scene#2
(Inside the TV Studio there is a warm hazy room. It is lit by the soft blue/green light of a television screen. There is a second masked feature who has his back to the audience. His mask has no features. It is blank and expressionless. He stands in a dressing gown looking blankly at a television that is playing British Army enlistment adverts. The sounds that have been playing in the corridor continue while the audience enter the space and position themselves around the room. Suddenly as if awaking from a dream the masked figure acknowledges the audience. A second voice is heard.)
VOICE 2 : You're late! Where the hell were you?
I've been told that this house is going to be besieged. The rebels have already crossed the river.
This afternoon, just before you arrived the rebels took three key positions. They set fire to several places. Not a single fireman came out. Everything sent up in flames the palace was blown up last night. It's dangerous for anyone to loiter in the streets. You had a pretty close shave.
(he laughs and taking a stance like a movie character, he pretends to machine gun the entire cafe) Bang, bang, bang, bang!!!
I went out to plant a bomb. When I got half-way up the street, some son of a bitch started firing away but he missed me. I saw the machine-gun almost in front of me. He was reloading. I just stood and stared at him, cool as a cucumber. He looked as if he were posing with the light beaming on him. He took aim. And then, he toppled over. One of our boys had picked him off. I continued on my way, calm as can be. I plant my bomb and here I am. I wasn't scared for a second. Didn't bat an eyelash.
Floor measurement
From above (walls)
From above (bars on ceiling, position of projectors)
