Emotional Machines - Composing for Unstable Media.

Thorolf Thuestad

Emotional machines – composing for unstable media. Thorolf Thuestad In partial fulfilment of PhD in artistic research The Grieg Academy, Department of Music, Faculty of Art, Music, and Design, University of Bergen, 2021 The artistic research project Emotional machines - composing for unstable media explores how non-representational kinetic objects may afford affective and emotional responses, in particular experiences of kinship and relation between an audience and animated objects. Further possibilities for artistic expression are opened through composition and dramaturgy, in works where the animated objects perform alongside human performers and other media, such as light and sound. How may such animated non-representational physical objects be developed? How does animating the physical objects change the potential for experience of kinship and relation between audience and object? How does context modulate the potential for experience of kinship and relation between audience and animated physical object? How does the potential experience of kinship with the animated object differ for the creator of the object, and audience? These questions have been investigated through the creation of a set of animated kinetic figures. These figures have performed in a series of artistic presentations such as gallery exhibitions and stage presentations. The artistic research concludes with two complementary public artistic presentations taking place in bergen in June/July 2021; a time-based stage production at Cornerteatret and a gallery exhibition at Lydgalleriet. The presentations are considered connected and have the common title For one – for many – for all. This is an exposition of the research that presents the kinetic figures, the process of developing them, the questions they have contributed to explore, resulting artistic works (with particular emphasis on the final artistic presentations taking place in June/July 2021), the additional artists contributing to these public presentations, and a series of reflections resulting from the research. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emotional machines – composing for unstable media Thorolf Thuestad. Denne eksposisjonen presenteres som del av gjennomføring av doktorgrad i kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid ved Griegakademiet, Institutt for musikk, Fakultet for kunst, musikk og design, Universitetet i Bergen, 2021. Emotional machines - composing for unstable media utforsker hvordan ikke-representative kinetiske objekter kan skape affektive og emosjonelle responser hos mennesker. Spesifikt opplevelse av slektskap og relasjon mellom et publikum og animerte objekter. Det åpnes ytterligere muligheter for kunstneriske uttrykk gjennom komposisjon og dramaturgi i verk der de animerte objektene opptrer sammen med menneskelige utøvere og andre medier, som lys og lyd. Hvordan kan animerte ikke-representative fysiske objekter utvikles med dette startpunktet som inspirasjon? Hvordan endrer animasjon av de fysiske objektene potensialet for opplevelse av slektskap og relasjon mellom publikum og objekt? Hvordan modulerer konteksten de animerte objektene presenteres i potensialet for opplevelse av slektskap og relasjon? Hvordan er den potensielle opplevelsen av slektskap med det animerte objektet forskjellig for skaperen(e) av objektet, og publikum? I Emotional machines – composing for unstable media har spørsmålene har blitt undersøkt ved hjelp av en gruppe animerte kinetiske figurer. Disse figurene har opptrådt i en rekke kunstneriske sammenhenger hovedsakelig galleriutstillinger og scenepresentasjoner. Prosjektet ble avsluttet med to utfyllende offentlige kunstneriske presentasjoner som fant sted i Bergen i juni/juli 2021: En tidsbasert sceneproduksjon vist på Cornerteatret og en galleriutstilling vist på Lydgalleriet. Presentasjonene er tilknyttet hverandre og har fellestittelen For one – for many – for all. Denne eksposisjonen presenterer de kinetiske figurene, prosessen med å utvikle dem, spørsmålene de har bidratt til å utforske, resulterende kunstneriske verk (med særlig vekt på de endelige kunstneriske presentasjonene i juni/juli 2021), kunstnerne som bidro til disse offentlige presentasjonene samt en rekke refleksjonstekster drevet frem av arbeidet med prosjektet.

Figure #13 and #14: Joints

Each figure consists of three elongated structures with three joints. The lower part of the arm comprises two 1 cm wide two-dimensional outlines attached to large HDT5 pulleys rotating around an axle. The joint is rotated by a smaller timing belt pulley driven by a brushless DC motor. The lower part of the figure consists of two parallel, flat, 3d printed sides. It creates a structure that has depth, but depth created using flat surfaces.

About one quarter of the distance up the lower arm, two more motors are mounted on either side of the figure to which long timing belts are tightened around two pulleys halfway up the figure's total length. These allow each side of the top part of the figure to rotate independently. The top section also consists of two flat sections. By rotating the two top sections the angles of these is adjustable relative to each other and relative to the lower part of the arm. The top arm segments can pass through the gap between the two sides of the lower part of the arm making complete rotations possible.

The figures are placed on a rotary base giving each a total of four degrees of motion.

#13 and 14 are the first figures that make use of a closed-loop control system.1 There is an encoder mounted on each driving motor, allowing precise position control. This is achieved using O-drive2 brushless motor controllers in combination with CUI high-resolution encoders.3

By adjusting the motors' force, the figures become compliant, meaning that a human performer could manipulate the joints. The encoders' position can then be read and mapped to other figures' motion, sound generating devices or lights.

Impetus

The creation of these two figures was motivated by a perceived need for greater dynamism of motion than previous figures. They were designed to employ more powerful actuator systems and to have a large range of motion.

Figures #13 and 14 displays the origin shared by most of the figures; a drawing. To me they seem like they have not quite made the transition from two-dimensional drawing to three-dimensional figure. Like parts of them remain in Flatland. They are like continuously transforming drawings.

Placing two parallel surfaces next to each other creates a sense of limited three-dimensionality. To me, a drawing evocates absent realities, and I hoped for these figures that they would be able to do the same even as three-dimensional entities.

The two-dimensional imprint of the figures in the shadows they cast when illuminated expands these figures' dimensionality. It draws out a more significant textural variation than is apparent in the figures themselves.

Tip

Tip

Figure #13 and #14: Joints

Impetus