issue 8 // volume 44

Robot song and birdsong

> Human emotion, algorithmic artwork, and sounds of wildlife come together in ‘Voicing’

Caroline Ho
Arts Editor

 

e New Media Gallery’s newest
exhibition presents a dazzling display
of sound and imagery that challenges
conceptions of the human voice and emotion.
Voicing held its opening reception
in the gallery on October 20, and the
exhibition runs until December 22. It
features three enthralling works by three
different artists, each of which utilize
sounds, space, and technology to create
an exquisite multisensory experience.
According to the curatorial text provided
by the New Media Gallery, “voicing” refers
to the “manipulation of notes and chords in
any sound-producing entity; human, bird, or
instrument, thus changing the personality
of a tone and altering its emotional quality.”
Curated by gallery directors Sarah Joyce
and Gordon Duggan, the exhibition
explores how voices and vocal tracts, both
mechanical and natural, transmit sentiment.
American artist Michelle Jaffé's
Wappen Field (2013), the first piece a visitor
encounters, features 12 steel helmets
suspended from the ceiling. When a visitor
places their head into the helmet, they
are treated to what Joyce described as a
“cornucopia of experimental sounds.”
Joyce, speaking to the Other Press at
the gallery opening, explained that this is
an algorithmic piece: The sounds played
by each helmet change as you place your
head inside, progressing through adjacent
helmets and affecting the emotional
tone of the surrounding ones. Wappen
Field makes use of an audio synthesis
and algorithmic composition program
called SuperCollider to move sound—
and emotion—through the display.

what do machines sing of? (2015),
by German artist Martin Backes, also
makes use of the SuperCollider program.
Comprised of what appears to bea screen
with a microphone in front of it, the piece
is in fact a robot that sings ’gos love songs,
and over the course of the exhibition
the robot essentially discovers how to
impart emotion into its performance.
“What the program is trying
to do is learn how to sing with
emotional intent,’ said Joyce.
The robot has six moving ballads
in its repertoire, including hits by
Whitney Houston and Bryan Adams.
Since it is constantly “learning,” every
performance it gives is different in terms
of singing tempo and affective quality,
raising a compelling question about the
capabilities of artificial intelligence.
Uk-based Marcus Coates’ Dawn
Chorus (2007) delves into the intricacies of
human voice from another angle, through
a deep-rooted connection to birdsong.
The audacious installation is made up of a
multitude of screens arranged throughout
the room, paired with what sound at first
like bird calls emanating from around the
space. However, the audio clips are actually
recordings of 14 amateur choir members
from Bristol, who are shown on the screens.
To create this work, Coates captured
recordings of 14 birds singing simultaneously
in nature. He then slowed the sounds down
toa fraction of their speed, filmed choristers
singing the slowed-down segments, then
sped the audio and video from the human
singers back up. Remarkably, not only
do the voices sound just like birdsong—
the humans on the screens also look
amazingly birdlike, with rapid, fluttery
movements. The combination of music
and motion in Dawn Chorus creates,

arts // no. 7

[ believe 7 can fly

 

as described by the curatorial text, “a
fascinating exploration into the origins of
human language and voice in bird song.’

According to Joyce, the inspiration for
Voicing as an exhibition comes from the
artworks themselves, rather than from an
effort by the curators, Joyce and Duggan,
to select works that fit the concept.

“We don't set a theme and then
illustrate the theme. We always work from
pieces, from works of art,” said Joyce.

For Voicing and every other

Just who 1s Rian Johnson?

> ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ director isn't a household name—yet

Lauren Kelly
Graphics Manager

 

n 2015, when it was announced that Rian

Johnson would be writing and directing
Star Wars Episode VIII following J. J.
Abrams’ work with Episode VII, I wouldn't
be surprised if many people said: “Who?”

Best known for 2012's Looper,
before getting this gig Johnson was
far from a household name. However,
with three widely-varied original
films under his belt, Johnson and his
work is worth learning about.

Johnson came onto the film scene
in 2005 with Brick, a high school-set
noir-tinged detective film starring Joseph
Gordon-Levitt. Most of the characters,
particularly Gordon-Levitt’s Brendan,
speak quickly and smartly, their code
hard to parse on a first viewing. The
muted tones and focus on dialogue set
this apart from any other “high school”
films, and Johnson’s unique take on the
noir genre won him the Sundance Special
Jury Prize for Originality of Vision.

His next film was 2009's The Brothers
Bloom, aconman story about two brothers,
Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody, performing
the fabled “one last con” ona rich and

eccentric heiress, played by Rachel Weisz.
The three, along with the brothers’ sidekick
Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), travel around
Europe and North America, and the
film is filled to the brim with beautiful
architecture, sets, and fashion. While on
the surface this flashy and bright film shares
little in common with Brick, the quick,
clever dialogue and literary references are
still front and centre. The ensemble play
off each other adeptly, and any emotional
turns feel earned. It may not have been a
success, but it isan incredible romp through
the genre and a fantastic exploration of
the relationship between brothers.
Johnson's most recent original film is
Looper, a sci-fi time travel movie starring
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis
playing younger and older versions of the
same character, Joe. This concept won the
film a lot of buzz, and it was by far the
most commercially successful of Johnson's
three films. In Looper, time travel has been
invented but outlawed, and it is solely used
by criminals to carry out hits. When young
Joe is delivered his old self to kill, Old Joe
manages to get away. Like Johnson's other
films, while Looper may be a genre film, it is
primarily a character-focused one, dealing
with clever dialogue and the relationship
between the younger and older Joe, as well

as other side characters. It was Johnson’s
work on this film that showed his chops in
the sci-fi genre and won him the coveted
role directing and writing Episode VIII.
Although Johnson’s work in film is
impressive, his work directing television
is also remarkable. Johnson directed three
episodes of Breaking Bad, “Fly, “Fifty-
One,” and “Ozymandias,” some of the
most acclaimed episodes in one of the
most acclaimed shows ever. In fact, after
it aired, “Ozymandias” was called one of
the best television episodes ever made. His

exhibition at the New Media Gallery,

the process involves looking at a lot of
artwork over many years. Then, she said,
“Pieces suddenly come together in a really
natural way and you see those kind of
synchronicities, or you see synergies.”

The New Media Gallery is a free public
art gallery located on the third floor of
Anvil Center, just across the street from the
New Westminster SkyTrain Station. It is
open on Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m.
to5 p.m., and to 8 p.m. on Thursdays.

 

work on this show is awe-inspiring, and it
shows what an incredible director he is.
While Johnson may not have been
a household name before he was chosen
to direct Episode VIII, he will be soon.
And if youre looking for something to do
while you wait impatiently through these
last two months before the release, watch
these three fantastic films and re-watch
those episodes of Breaking Bad. It will
only make the new Star Wars that much
sweeter, and you will get to enjoy some of
the best genre-bending films of the 2000s.

Photo by Analyn Cuarto

Photo of Rian Johnson via Starwarsnewsnet.com