emergentlocality
blog tracking the emergence of art technology in Singapore and around the world
by Ong Kian Peng

26.05.2012

featuring:
SignalToNoise, kinetic sound art installation
system: generative

text:
'SignalToNoise' is a kinetic installation immersing the spectator in patterns of sonic motion, based on generative principles executed by 512 mechanical split-flaps. The expression 'signal-to-noise' is a measure used to quantify how much a signal has been lost to noise; it's a ratio of useful to un-useful information in a data exchange. The works consists of a 3.40 m circular structure, containing 4 horizontal rows of 128 split-flaps at eye height. The external surface exposes the stripped back technology of the split-flaps and driver boards, while the internal surfaces reveal the characters of the split-flaps. The circular installation invites the visitor to plunge into a kinetic composition in the midst of the eternal calculation process of an auto-poetic machine. The split-flaps are constantly spinning on a variable speed/rhythm which is dependent upon on the underlying algorithm, analyzing in the maze of information the appearance of a word-equal-meaning.