Imagiro

 by  CHiKA

Imagine if you had the power to control light and space? "Imagiro" gives you that power. You are the creator of an engaging visual-sensory experience. Simply by standing in front of the installation, you become a prism, breaking white light into colorful abstract imagery that instantly projects onto an origami-like surface. Corresponding to your movement within the space, the planes begin to shift and unfold, becoming 3-dimensional. When you walk away, the installation returns its original condition: a flat with white light projection. The boundary between art and viewer is erased — your physical body activates and controls this installation.


Coming from a background as an international VJ and having had extensive experience in live visual projection, I approach visual media as a design canvas. While preparing images and video clips in advance of a performance and/or installation in the past, I created an abstract graphic narrative of moving images based on the sounds of my collaborators’ music. The creation of my moving images happened live at the moment of the audio creation. During the performance, my spontaneous improvisation created a surprise aesthetic that cannot be experienced when using typical, predetermined moving images. I controlled all elements: the speed, rhythm and color of the moving images. At the moment when my imagery blended with the audio and synchronized with the rhythm, communication with the audience began. The diverse elements synergized becoming one work of art. Magic happened. In the past however, my imagery accompanied by sound tended to cause a passive audience response i.e. the audience watched rather than interacted.

For my thesis project, the primary focus has been to successfully create interactivity of image, sound and audience and cause the audience to actively participate in the creative process. I have been experimenting with ways I can draw the audience into the projection and create an object of aesthetic value that stimulates the senses and generates excitement. In "Imagiro,” I have departed from traditional projections i.e. onto flat surfaces and have entered into new visual-sensory territory by projecting onto 3-dimensional surfaces. I have found that creating an architectural installation opens up infinite possibilities for me as an artist and that audiences are captivated. They enter into my space and discover that it is their movement that determines the audio-visual experience and that they control the artwork. The effect of being able to trigger image and sound simultaneously is mesmerizing. By introducing interactivity, the audience is first surprised and then empowered, and ultimately plays with and within the installation. I want audiences to be in control, connect physically and engage emotionally within the space. I want to create the illusion that the space is an extension of the audeience's physical self and a product of its imagination i.e. no longer self-consciously viewing art, surrendering itself to the work. I want to erase the barrier that separates viewer and art, so that they become one.