Active Listening I: Room, Voice, and Discarded Technology
Active Listening 1
2024
Interactive Video Installation
Materials: Three CRT monitors, microphone, audio interface, feedback loop
Originally exhibited at Area 405 gallery in Baltimore City as part of the Animation Adjacent exhibition, running in conjunction with the Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival 2024.
This dynamic, living installation comprises three stacked CRT monitors that listen and respond to the surrounding environment. Utilizing a microphone and an audio interface, the installation transforms ambient noise, spoken words, or song into a generative video animation that unfolds in real time. The visuals on the monitors shift and evolve, directly influenced by the sounds they receive, creating a continuous feedback loop between the audience and the work.
When activated, Active Listening 1 captures even the faintest sounds, responding to an empty room or human interaction with equal sensitivity. This intimate relationship with its environment allows the piece to hold a profound presence in any space it inhabits.
This video shows one of the attendees of the gallery during one of the event nights interacting with the sculptural CRT installation and singing into it. You can see the sculpture and installation responding to the person as they use different tonalities and vocals
