Osmosis_ Video/Sound Installation for Arik Levy.

Osmosis Sound World.

I have just completed a video/sound installation for designer, Arik Levy's solo exhibition for Swarovski at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, in Milan. The team included myself on sound,  Thomas Boaziz on video and Stéphane Maguet, owner of Numeriscausa, who oversaw the production of the project with the team at ldesign for Arik Levy..

Swarovski commissioned Arik Levy to create an exhibition of work inspired by, and created with the unique concept of crystal. Levy has created a series of installations that will illustrate the diversity of Swarovski crystal.

You can read more about it here, on this well documented design blog.

My part in this 800 square-meter exhibit was to create an interactive sound world which would accompany a 5x7 meter, 3D image of a diamond. This shape is constantly deformed, exploded and reconfigured according to various parameters and driven by people moving in front of the screen, around the defined space. I should be receiving images from the show very soon.

Below, I have posted some screenshots of the MaxMsp program which I made  for the installation. 

The program is made up of 8 stereo sound banks which are constantly playing back at different speeds, including different panning and various treatments, depending on the number of people and the activity of the spectators, as well as, the color of the diamond.

The sounds come mostly from samples of glass, crystal, ice, rocks, moving earth and  bowed percussion instruments which I recorded in my studio. They  are modified  by 2 time-based harmonizers which change the pitch,  sound quality (freq. modulation), delay and feedback.

The amazing space which Arik has conceived to expose his original works of art and design is 100 meters long by 8 meters wide.  It flows, as the title of the expo suggests, and culminates with this huge video/sound world. A joyous and very physical experience! One shakes arms and legs, dances and jumps in front of the giant, floating, organic and other-worldly vessel which seems to crave our attention!!

Hope that you can make it.

Swarovski Crystal Palace ‘Osmosis’ by Arik Levy
from 21st to 27th April 2009
Ex Magazzini Di Porta Genova
Via Valenza 2, Milano

Osmosis patch control, originally uploaded by time/texture.

Comments

[Hugo]

Very nice sounds! I like the glassy, icy character. Although I would maybe prefer to hear it without the pitch vibrating all the time. Is there a video of the installation available somewhere?

[Natasha]

Wow, you really came up with some great sounds for this! I love it. So atmospheric. I know you worked hard on this complicated project and your hard work really paid off.

Well done! I only wish I could see the installation in reality...

xx {O}

[Leon Milo]

Hugo,
I wrote you a fairly long response which seems to be gone now. Anyway, thank you for your comments. I am awaiting images which were filmed for me yesterday in Milan. Will post them when they arrive.
And thank you, Natasha! :)
Leon.

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I know you worked hard on this complicated project and your hard work really paid off.

[Barbara T]

I'm so found of your world!
You're amazing!
Barbara