Son et Lumière (2008) was commissioned for the Bellingham Electronic Arts Festival (BEAF) by the WWEAMS studio.  This installation works by converting light through the dolls eyes into music.  By default, the sound is an evolving drone with some intermittent rhythmic elements.  Interaction with the light directed toward the installation will change selectable parameters, among them pitch (less light makes the pitch swing wildly) and duration (the drone becomes shorter staccato articulations).  Interacting persons can create a custom instrument, or simply play with the default set up.  Additionally, she is partly motorized and will motion track shadows.

The idea of this piece is that there is a fundamental connection between seeing and hearing.  Seeing a musical performance, for example, is much different than just listening to one because the emotions and energy of the artist establish a visual connection to correspond with or even change the aural connection.  The audience in this particular performance is the doll, and what she sees directly affects what she hears.

This installation was debuted at the Mindport Gallery.

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