Surface is an interactive video audio installation using a table with a contact microphone, and a video display. Ethan and I collaborated on this project (our first). You can see a short movie of the show above. It is an exploration of surface and location mediated through both video imagery and audio feedback. It consists of a series of macro photos of urban surfaces in downtown San Jose. The location of each surface is cataloged with latitude and longitude data. Organic materials are also collected from the urban environment (rocks, seed pods, branches, etc.) and form an interface into the exploration of place and surface. A platform is installed in the exhibition space where the collected materials are placed. A contact microphone is used to detect vibrations caused by tactile interactions with the organic material. The vibrations are amplified into an audio signal, which is broadcast into the space. Software algorithms detect changes in pitch and amplitude in the signal and use the data for two purposes. Short segments of audio input are recorded and looped, forming a rhythmic history of the interactions with the piece. In addition, the archive of macro photos (mapped with lat/lon data) are navigated and displayed through a video projection.

Image locations on Google Maps: http://tinyurl.com/2dthgt

Images of video projection in different phases of interaction. Please click on each image for larger view.