In the generation where real and virtual experiences interchange rapidly, how can we find a suitable position to observe the world between these two dimensions? Recently, renowned new media artist Keith Lam presents the music video work “Mixed Dimension” in a groundbreaking way, featuring the new composition “Fundamental Differences” by Hong Kong composer Chiu Long Tin and the monumental string quartet “Black Angels” by legendary classical composer George Crumb. This work combines classical music, technology, and art in a unique way!
Keith’s original idea was a performance-style installation concert, inviting composer Zhao Langtian to collect the body data of “Cong Quartet” members, such as muscle movement, brainwaves, and heart rate, and using technology to transform the data into musical notes for them to perform on the spot. Unlike traditional classical music performances and viewing experiences, the performers will change positions during the performance, and the audience can freely move around the venue. Through the movement of the performers, the audience, and the illuminated mechanical arms, everyone will feel like they have fallen into a chaotic dimension, completely subverting everyone’s imagination of a concert.
Due to the impact of the epidemic, this originally planned live performance was unable to be presented. As a result, Keith was inspired to record performance clips using his iPhone and transform the footage into digital images, creating a nearly 40-minute music video. He shared, “This is based on a performed live show, which was then processed through digitization, three-dimensionality, and even a lot of editing. The whole process is almost like shooting a singer’s music video.”
Due to the completely different methods of physical and digital performance and technical operations, Keith and his production team spent several months completing this work. During the filming process, they used three iPhone optical radar lenses to capture the three-dimensional dynamics of each performer, and then post-produced them into virtual images. The work boldly brings about a sensory revolution, extending the audience’s perception from reality to a virtual, non-real world.
When asked about his preference for presentation, he laughed and said, “I still believe that the sense of presence cannot be replaced. Face-to-face experience cannot be replaced by virtual means. It’s not too difficult to tell a story through video works, as everything is directly narrated once everything is set up. However, when the audience watches it live, the control is in their hands. They can choose the angle to view the artwork with their eyes and feet.” This inevitably makes people think, should a work of art be given complete freedom of interpretation to the audience, or should it provide a viewing guide for the audience?
In the final work “Mixed Dimension”, it can be seen that the first two-thirds of the time are the real images of the performers, while the remaining eight-thirds are some digitized virtual dynamics. Keith feels that the depiction of the chaos between reality and virtuality in it is actually the reality of the post-pandemic era.
The surreal images generated from real scenes may be virtual, but when we interact with the virtual world, the experiences and feelings we have are incredibly real. This piece allows us to feel from technology and music that virtual does not equal false, and sometimes it can have multiple facets of “reality”.
Watch the complete version of the work: Click here
Interview & text: Ruby Yiu
Videography: Kason Tam
Photography: Kason Tam
Video Editor: Andy Lee
Special thanks: Keith Lam, Hong Kong Arts Festival
Image source and learn more: Hong Kong Arts Festival, Keith Lyk
