Membrane

Algorithmic performance for transparent materials.
Push 1 stop & Wiklow

“Dry ice hisses into the dark room and white shapes strobe through the air, pulsing and oscillating around the crowd. Sharp scribbles synchronise with their minimal dance music, swelling into huge circles of light above our heads, an impressive monochrome take on Robin Fox’s rainbow laser projections that do a good job of placing us inside the invisible sound frequencies, with lines rippling and vibrating, sketching out the music in space.”

– The Quietus

The works of Cadie Desbiens-Desmeules and Michael Dean capture a close relation between sound and the visual beauty of wave patterns. Their output combines optical illusion in a visually beautiful way, offering a strong and organic audio-visual experience. As we spend ever more of our time in virtual spaces, from social media to VR gaming, Desbiens-Desmeules and Dean seek to reverse the trend, realizing virtual environments in the physical world.

In “Membrane”, audiences experience three-dimensional shapes sculpted in light from a smoky, semi-opaque haze and to a pounding techno accompaniment. Mutations and transformations are influenced in real-time by the artists as they interact through rehearsed actions and improvisation. The performance is a combination of both installation art and performance, suggesting an alternative to the use of pre-programmed visuals to accompany live electronica, and proposes a more responsive, dynamic visual element for performance.

MaterialsLaser projector and reflective transparent screen.
Dimensions2.74m h x 3.66m w
Running Time35 minutes
SetupA laser projector of at least 8000 lumens is installed approximately 3-5m behind the screen.

A smoke machine makes occasional bursts of smoke, filling the area between the screen and the projector.

Each performer is placed on either side of the screen.
CreditsCadie Desbiens-Desmeules [push1stop.com]
Michael Gary Dean [wiklowmusic.com]

Supported by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), Holo-Gauze and Perte de signal.

Photos: Dani Canto, Sergio Albert, Oriol Reverter, Diego Figueroa.