Installations

Together with Robin Barstow of www.barstow.no, Daniel Lacey-McDermott (yours truly) builds and installs sound installations.

We compose original music/soundscapes and create an interactive experience incorporating sensors, lights and even electromechanical elements that react to the audience and to the the sound. The following photos and video are from an installation called "ett tilfelle av strofestreif" that was made together with Stine Lie Pettersen for the contemporary dance festival "Landing 08" at St.Olavs Hospital in Trondheim Norway. The installation can be rented in existing or modified form. And all new commissions are of interest.

This installation consists of 6 modules that each are equipped with an internal speaker, an infrared distance sensor, a light dependant resistor and a sprinkling of bright white light emitting diodes.

The light emitting diodes embedded in the module respond to the sound that the installation is making, giving an audiovisual experience when playing with the modules sensors, and also creating an ambient glow that throbs organically with the background ambience.

One of the modules acts as the "brain" and has in addition to the sensors found on the other modules three switches for selecting different modes. The different modes set the type of background ambience.

The modules use the distance sensors (mounted in the "eyes") to distort and modulate the ambience coming from there speakers allowing the audience to play the ambience like an instrument by moving their body in a dancing motion infront of the modules.

The bulbs mounted on the modules are modified to absorb incoming light rather than emit light themselves. The amount of incoming light is used to set the balance between recorded ambience and composed musical pieces. When the installation is assembled near a large window this makes the soundscape change dynamically throughout the day as the ambient light changes due to clouds and sunset. The audience is also encouraged to cover the bulb with his/her hand to reveal the modules unique music.

The modules can all be played at the same time by several "dancers" to create a mesmerizing musical performance

In addition to the music and recorded ambience, recordings of passers by reciting slightly distorted and juggled phrases from popular norwegian songs throughout recent history are stored on a computer

The "brain" module uses its infrared distance sensor to determine the amount of presence these recordings are allowed in the soundscape. so by standing infront of the main module the audience can add more or less of this element to the mix.

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