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 Dimensions,” showcasing the new composition “Fundamental Differences” by Hong Kong composer Langtian Zhao and the legendary classical music composer George Crumb’s monumental string quartet “Black Angels” in a groundbreaking way, combining classical music, technology, and art together!
Keith最初的构思是一场表演式装置音乐会，邀请作曲家赵朗天收集”Cong四重奏”成员的身体数据，如肌肉运动、脑电波、心跳指数等，用科技将数据转化成音符，让他们即场演奏。与传统古典音乐的演出和观赏体验不同，演奏者会在表演期间转换位置，而观众也可自由在场内走动。通过表演者、观众、发光机械手臂的移动，大家将会感觉掉进一个混乱的维度，完全颠覆大家对于演奏会的想象。
奈何因疫情关系，这场原来构想的现场表演亦未能面世。于是便启发Keith用iPhone录制表演片段，并将影像转化成数码化图像，制作出一条近40分钟的音乐片。他分享道：“这是根据一个已演奏的表演再处理，通过电子化、立体化，甚至乎很多剪接，整个过程近乎于我在拍摄一个歌手做MV。”
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 movements of each performer, and then post-produced them into virtual images. This work boldly brings about a sensory revolution, extending the audience’s perception from reality to a virtual, non-real world.
当问到他自己偏好哪种呈现方式，他笑说：“我还是觉得现场感是取代不了的，面对面的体验是无法被虚拟取代。通过录像作品去说故事不用太费力，设定好所有事情，一切都是直接的叙述。然而当观众在现场观看时，主导权都在观众那里，他们可以随着眼和脚，选择观看作品的角度。”这不禁让人思考，到底一件作品该赋予观众们完全的解读自由，还是为观众带来一个观赏的指引。
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 chaos depicted in it, both real and virtual, is actually the reality of the post-pandemic era.
從實景中所生的超現實影像雖是虛擬化，但反過來看，我們與虛擬世界互動的過程中，所產生的觀賞經驗與感受都無比真實。這件作品讓我們從科技與音樂中感受到：虛擬不等於虛假，有時可能是「真實」的多重面貌。
观赏作品完整版本：点击这里
采访与文字：Ruby Yiu
摄影：谭家辉
视频编辑：Andy Lee
特别鸣谢：Keith Lam，香港艺术节
