Peter William Holden
[AutoGene] real-time animation
Materials: Umbrellas, Steel, Industrial Computer, Compressed Air Components, Mp3 Player.
Dimensions: <4.5m x 4.5m x 0.8m>
Giving a first impression of a simple commodity sculpture, “AutoGene” lures the viewer into a false sense of security, which is then, at the flick of a switch, rapidly dispelled. The seemingly mundane umbrellas are transformed into magical, animated objects. The circular arrangement combined with the striking contrast produced as the umbrellas expand and contract engender the formation of abstract ephemeral patterns, which are seemingly governed by the accompanying music. The observer is obligated to re-evaluate this sculpture, inviting comparisons with dance and animation as the mechanical pixels complete their choreographed movement through time and space.
[Arabesque] mechanical kaleidoscope
Materials: Composite Plastic, Steel, Industrial Computer, Compressed Air Components, Mp3 Player.
Dimensions: <4.5m x 4.5m x 1.5m>
“Arabesque” is a kinetic art work which as its roots both in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein and the alchemist’s laboratory. Life sized cast human body parts (incidentally casts of my own body) with translucent qualities bare their internal robotic mechanisms to the public. The wiring itself is an aesthetic expression deliberately integrated into the installation to bringing chaotic lines of abstract form to contrast with the organized symmetry of the body parts.
“Arabesque” when in motion become's a time-based performance and can be viewed form a multitude of angles, revealing a kaleidoscope of beautiful patterns and shapes created from the human form.
[SoleNoid] audio - visual installation
Materials: Shoes, Steel, Industrial Computer, Compressed Air Components.
Dimensions: <4.5m x 4.5m x 0.5m>
Musical Composition Marko Wild
SoleNoid is a theatre of mechanical movements and sounds. Composed of eight classic black and white tap shoes with ornamental brogue patterns that are arranged symmetrically in a circular formation upon a large 4m diameter black wooden disc. Each shoe is impaled with metallic manipulators and attached via these to a sculptural structure. Each structure holds a shoe inches in the air above a small circular metal plate. Sequentially the metal plate is framed upon a glossy white wooden disc. Forming a pattern of circles within circles…. The manipulators or to be more precise the compressed air cylinders allow each shoe to move with the help of electro-mechanical solenoid valves and a spaghetti of electrical wires and air hoses. As the shoes move they strike the metal discs in a variety of ways; toe tap, heal tap, stamp, shuffle, leather slap etc…. Each movement produces its own characteristic sound and they are orchestrated in two alternating ways:
1. A computer beating out a preprogramed composition written by Marko Wild. Here sounds occur sometimes in sync and sometimes in backbeats. It’s a concert of many different tones, all short, sharp and to the point that. In some fast passages, the mind links it to the sound of castanets.
2. The audience can play SoleNoid via the tear drop shaped keyboard keys on the control panel which is placed next to SoleNoid. The keyboard functions like a sequencer and with each key press a short loop of movements and sounds are triggered. These sounds and movements can easily be patched together by the audience to produce a new composition.
[Inertia] audio - video installation
Materials: x8 Video Screens, Industrial Computer, Custom Electronics, x8 Multimedia Players.
Music Henry Vega / Dancer Géraldine Fournier.
Inertia is an installation utilizing video footage to create a panoramic animation constructed from the motion and gestures of a female dancer choreographed to contemporary music. The animation itself is presented on eight equally spaced screens which are arranged on the circumference of a circle. So the observer finds themselves in an artificial 360° panorama.
Initially when a viewer enters the installation each screen is displaying static and white noise fills the space. Upon recognition of the observer presence the static fades out and the animation begins. The choreography of the movement flows between the screens so even though each screen displays its own unique film the screens are seemingly interconnected. The musical composition is an eight channel piece with loud speakers assigned to each screen. Key sounds are spatially position to assist the viewer in determine the focal point of the visual motion.
Coproduction l’Allan, Scène Nationale de Montbéliard dans le cadre d’une résidence [ars]numerica, Centre Européen dédié aux arts numérique.
Special thanks to: Yasmina Demoly, Jean Claude and Gilles Marchesi.
[Vicious Circle] choreographic installation
Materials: Composite plastic, Steel, Computer, Compressed Air Components, Mp3 Player.
Dimensions: <5m x 4m x 1.5m>
Inspired by the “The Industrial Revolution” and the subsequent changes in human development brought about by that revolution. "Vicious Circle" is a brutalist robotic structure and it is a representation of some of the fears I have with technology. The motion of the machine reminds me of the relentless movement of progress as the machine moves to its predetermined program, ignorant of its environment and unwilling to stop if anything gets in its way. Though paradoxically it is possible to see beauty within its movements as the life size cast hands rise and fall forming a swarm that flocks together like birds in a choreographed dance to Prokofiev’s “Dance of the knights". Thus reminding me that technology is a double edged sword and we / humanity have the possibility to decide which direction it will take.
[The Invisible] robotic choreographies
Materials: Hats, Steel, Computers, Custom Built Robots, Compressed Air Components, Mp3 Player.
Dimensions: <5m x 5m x 2.5m>
“The Invisible” is presented as a sculptural performance that is comprised of eight duplicate custom built robots all suspended and arranged evenly in a circular pattern from a metal frame. Fedora hats are attached via a multitude of black rods to each robotic element so that the hats hang in midair at roughly eye level with the observer. This arrangement alludes to an invisible human presence directly below each hat and this allusion to humanity is a common feature in my work. A copiousness number of electrical cables and air tubes are joined to these mechanized elements. Which allows under the guidance of a computer program the movements of the iconic Fedora hats to be manipulated and enables the piece to perform a choreographed dance / animation. Resulting in the hats swerving in formation, gyrating and rushing this way and that to the accompanying sound of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries in a surreal theatrical homage reminiscent of the helicopter attack scene from the film Apocalypse Now.
