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 #19 – Swimmer

Figure #19 – swimmer consists of an 800mm long, 6mm diameter steel rod joined together at its centre point to the forward part of a 1200mm steel rod with a bracket holding a smart servo. This servo rotates the shorter of the two rods relative to the long one in any direction. At each end of the shorter rods 3D printed brackets hold small wheels 3D printed in a flexible material fitted with one-way needle pin bearings. These will only allow the wheels to rotate in one direction, similar to the mechanism used by figure #11 and #12 for propulsion. At the rear end of the longer rod, a broad “tail” holding two wheels able to rotate freely is mounted. If placed on the wheels on the ground, the figure can propel itself by turning the shorter rod by rotating the short rod a quarter turn in alternate directions in effect “swimming” across the floor.

At the top of the figure(when placed in this orientation), a third steel rod is mounted. This, like the lower rod with the wheels, can turn in any direction using a smart servo. At the end of this rod, a 3-watt RGB led light is mounted. This provides a bright point source light that can be pointed in any direction on the horizontal plane.

Figure #19 leads a double life. In addition to its autonomous existence as a battery-powered figure able to propel itself across the floor, illuminating others along its way, it will at times join with figure #16 and become a symbiont. Here it will enjoy being transported not just across the floor but also up into the air. In return, figure #16 acquires a greater register of movement as figure #19 is more than willing to both shine its light and rotate its rods as it floats through the air. Where figure #15’s movements are expressed by an inert steel rod, figure #16 enters a partnership with figure #19, enhancing both their capabilities for motion.

Impetus

Figure #19 originated as a part of figure #16. There was a desire for figure #16 to have a different and more multifaceted movement repertoire than #15, and from this desire figure #19 emerged. Thus for the greater part of its emergence, I had not recognized figure #19 and thought I was witnessing the emergence of figure #16. As not yet #19 proceeded through the various stages of becoming it made itself known to me as an entity in its own right.

The impetus at the outset was to expand the movement and expressive capabilities of figure #16. Therefore a fair amount of the design of #19 was done without considering them as an entity. In fact, my recognition of them as a figure in their own right only occurred as they had made the transition from their pre-material existence into a, for me, tangible one. Only as I encountered the material object that was to become #19 and its first fledgeling movements did I become aware of the figure. A few more parts were added, and it had clearly made itself known to me as an entity.

Tip

Tip

Figure #19 – Swimmer

Impetus