Standing Wave [2013]

Audiovisual interactive installation. 29' x 10' x 2'. Plywood, acoustical foam, video projectors, video cameras, computer, speakers, subwoofer, custom software. With Peter Segerstrom.

Standing Wave is an interactive, audiovisual installation that consists of twin curved sculptures covered with sound-absorbent foam, illuminated by a video projection of computer-generated lines that reacts to your movements. These movements also control a real time sound synthesis system, whose outputs are calibrated to both mirror and complement the interactive video projection.

The title Standing Wave is an allusion to the shape of the installation itself, a reference the physical phenomenon of the same name, and a homage to Naum Gabo’s work, with which the piece shares its title. The installation consists of two curved surfaces, 13’ wide and approximately 10’ tall, arcing towards you, covered in serrated acoustic foam panels that do sound absorption as well as act as the projection surface. The projection, like in our previous work, consists of computer-generated lines that move in a naturalistic way when you move in front of the installation. As the lines move over the serrated foam, moire patterns are generated by the interference of these two elements, which creates a rather organic visual phenomenon. As the lines move, they influence an interactive surround-sound system which consists of mostly deep bass sounds combined with high-frequency tones. Like our previous work, the interface of the installation is made of small video cameras connected to a computer, which processes their image to determine the strength and direction of your movements, similar in the way that systems such as the Kinect or the EyeToy work.

The work is a collaboration between Cuppetelli and Mendoza, and musician, sound designer and artist Peter Segerstrom. The installation is an extension of their previous collaboration, Transposition, and is a further development of Cuppetelli and Mendoza’s past work: Nervous Structure and Notional Field.

Standing Wave premiered at the 2013 edition of the Festival Némo, in Paris, France, and its production was generously funded by ARCADI.

Made in collaboration with Peter Segerstrom.