Rhizome Project Proposal
My Fans Sing the Songs
Summary
In my work I explore how everyday objects and activities can be transformed to create powerful experiences. As I child I was fascinated by the way my voice sounded singing into a fan. With My Fans Sing the Songs I reconstruct this experience as a live audio performance and alternatively, as a sound installation. The setup consists of a multitude of large pedestal fans with speakers attached to their backs. Each of the fans are connected to a micro controller console, that I use to change the speed of the fans and volume of the speakers. I vocalize simple melodies while operating the console creating the real time composition.
Using my singing voice and combining it with everyday sounds to create a dynamic sonic experiences has been a recurring theme in my recent works. In this work I attempt to magnify the physical aspect of the experience by introducing a tactile element in it. Imagine standing in the center of circle of large fans with air blowing at you from all directions — it is nothing close to what we experience in our daily interaction with fans.
Project Description
I would like to experiment with this concept as a live performance setup as well as a sound installation. Even though I am personally more inclined towards it being a live performance, in some cases an installation form using automated compositions might also be very powerful. This project could be seen as an analog/mechanical Granular Synthesizer using everyday objects as my tools to create multi-sensory experiences.
I envision this general concept as adapting to different kinds of spaces — I would like to make different arrangements customized to the specific space the installation is in (or live performance, as the case may be). As an example,in a smaller performance venue, the fans could be arranged like a choir on a stage facing the audience, and I would perform with the fans (see image below). On the other hand, in a gallery, I could perform live on some days, and the rest of the time it would exist as an installation. The fans could be arranged in a circular manner surrounding the audience from all sides.
 Live performance configuration |
 Installation configuration |
 |
 |
Timeline
| Month | Task |
| 1 | Experimentation and material research |
| 2 | Buying/collecting all the materials and equipment |
| 3-4 | Start building the setup, including the micro-controller console and the fans with the speakers. |
| 5 | Stability and safety tests |
| 6 | Work on the composition with the setup and start practicing for the live performance |
| 7 | Perform at smaller venues to get some feedback. |
| 8 | Start working on automating the system for the installation version |
Budget Estimate
| Item | Quantity | Per-unit cost | Item cost |
| Large Industrial fans | 10 | 185+Transport | 2000 |
| 4″-5″ speakers | 20 | 40 | 800 |
| Multi-channel amplifier | 500 | ||
| Custom audio mixer | 500 | ||
| Rode NT3 Microphone | 200 | ||
| Other accessories (cables, arduino boards etc) | 500 | ||
| Technical assistant | 2000 | ||
| Total | 7000 |
Work Sample
- NOMONOSOUND: Live Performance, 2006
- Lullaby Daze: Live Performance, 2008
- MFA Work (in progress): Multi-channel audio-visual installation, 2009