Media, Events, Experiments
Experimental
Bathysphere Video Installation @ Mariana Tokyo
Oct 26th
Mariana is THE deep techno music event in Tokyo.
On August 15, 1934, Barton and Beebe made a world record descent to a depth of 3,028 feet (923 m), the record remaining unbroken for 15 years.[2]
What Beebe saw on that trip—and reported with such vividness—was a glowing world of creatures so astonishing that for decades many doubted his veracity. The clear sea stretched endlessly, and was so full of luminescence that it sparkled like the night sky. Cavalcades of black shrimps, transparent eels, and bizarre fish approached the descending sphere, and when Beebe used his spotlight to see them, great shadows and shifting patches of light hovered just out of view, leading him to postulate the existence of giants in the Bermudan depths. And below the bathysphere? There, said Beebe, lay a world that “looked like the black pit-mouth of hell itself.”
Hfour collaborated with Mariana’s key organizer to create an ambient ‘back wall’ video installation showcasing found footage of deep sea life and exploration.
Visit mariana-jp.com/ for information about upcoming events.
Hanami: Peeko’s Melody
Oct 26th
Hfour produced an experimental relaxation music video in collaboration with Empty Universe. The piece, originally composed in Tokyo in 2004 by Canadian Artist, Mark Thomas creates an emotional response and feelings of uplifting tranquility.
“Hanami, or ‘cherry blossom viewing’ is my favourite time of year in Japan. It reminds me of the impermanence of life and that nothing lasts, which although somewhat melancholy, also teaches me to value every moment. Each year the blossoms come and go, reminding me that another year has passed, I am a year older and there are a finite number of hanami opportunities in life.
This video is intended as a relaxation piece. There is no story, only a theme. Enjoy the music and the images with a spare 7 minutes; don’t rush it.”
Sakura in Wadabori Park
Apr 13th
Hanami (Flower Viewing) has become my favourite time of year in Japan. The few days of blossoms remind me of life, renewal, and the ephemeral nature of living things.
Music by Boards of Canada, the song is Zoetrope.
Yoga in the City
Mar 2nd
Yoga teacher-in-training Geneva worked with Hfour to create an artistic view of yoga in a public space. As the pose is held, the people who represent the stresses of the city seem to fade away, creating a metaphor for the psychological benefits of yoga. The music is used with permission, created by Younger Brother.
60s Themed Video Installation
Nov 28th
Hfour planned and produced a 60s themed video installation at a private event north of Tokyo. Using content from era-defining movies on four televisions and using oil projections to cover the walls, an ‘end of the sixties’ theme was created for a social space at the event. It has been postulated that the peak of the hopes and aspirations for the American Dream happened some time in the late sixties. The world is now in a period of dark times and the hopes of peace, love and freedom from the sixties are a vague memory of a party after last call. At the private event, for one evening, in one space, the hopes of a generation could be viewed with remorse or with a faint feeling of hope for the future.
Light Graffiti Experiment #1
Oct 12th
Motion tracking experiment using light graffiti as a topic. Further research is needed to produce an accurate drawing. Perhaps following an ‘invisible pencil line’ would solve the problem when the surface is clean and smooth.
Light Graffiti experiment from Hfour on Vimeo.
Wet Paint Redux
Aug 28th
Hfour did a live painting show at Ever on the 29th of May 2008. Musical accompaniment by Esie and a traditional flute player.
Here is the write-up from the flyer:
Hfour explores the transience and ephemerality of life using paint as a metaphor. By intentionally repurposing traditional artists’ materials, he expresses a paradigm shift which suggests the awareness of the impermanent nature of contemporary society (disposable). Hfour channels primal expressions incorporated with reactive gestures to perform a painting without termination.
A collaborative performance with Flyflyfly reinforces the convergence of technology and human instinct; the postmodern city and the condition of society.
Two pieces were performed, both canvases were destroyed after the show.
Also included are photographs from the first live painting show performed in 2002 in Canada.
Animated Blacklist Logos
Aug 23rd
Produced for the August 2008 BlackList event at Crystal Lounge. Original Crest courtesy of Euroculture & Antique 505 stock imagery book.
Animated BlackList logos from Stuart Ward on Vimeo.
Experiment in Infrared (IR) Photography
Aug 22nd
A Canon IXY 500 camera was modified to take the following photos. Almost all digital Cameras have a Infrared cut filter installed over the sensor to filter out unwanted IR radiation. This ‘problem’ can be ‘fixed’ by opening the camera, electrocuting yourself with the flash capacitor, removing the cut filter, replacing it with a filter that cuts out the visible spectrum and only allows IR radiation, and putting the camera back together. Warranties will be voided, frustration will grow, and difficulties will be overcome, and in the end, you too can take Infrared pictures with your very own digital camera. Buy a cheap used camera in Akiba to use as the victim. Now if I could only figure out where that one extra screw fits.
Experiment in Motion Tracking #3
Aug 22nd
This video was created using one LED tracking point.
Motion Tracking Experiment from Stuart Ward on Vimeo.