DEVIL AS A POLYGON INSTALLATION (5/15/11)
WITH AUDIO BY MICHAEL DELEWSKI
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Once as a fantasy that has something at stake is brought to fruition, the initial impact of this fantasy is destroyed. A fantasy can never fully manifest within our working reality. The most notable, and derivative, fantasy is that of the dream. If only there was a technology that would constantly physically manifest our dreams for us, so we could look upon them in the purest form. If only other parts of our working memory didn’t get in the way of us constantly reconstructing what we see within our subconscious. One problem that arises from this strive to physically create the ephemeral, is that our recognition of these events is constantly changing, constantly being influenced by everything else we have stored away. The ethereal aspect of the dream is what both inspires and corrupts the nature of the manifested image.
In a dream, I saw the Devil as a white polygon. There was no traditional indicator that this form was, in fact, the devil; rather, an overwhelming urgency came over me in my dream state. I saw this polygon in a far-off alleyway, in between two brick buildings. Hovering, the shiny, white polygon transitioned into the image of a woman in a matter of seconds. She then proceeded, for the rest of the dream, to coax other dream-dwellers into evil doing. This is one of the most powerful, and purest forms I have ever encountered, and remembered, from within a dream.
The Devil that had appeared in my dream is brought to virtual reality through 3-D modeling. The shape of this character is as close as I can remember, after an extended period of time, as well as deteriorating influence of the various drawings I have created of the creature since the occurrence. The Devil is shown as the shiny white polygon I remember it to be, with the assistance of an ambient soundtrack. As the assisting music varies in complexity, the modeled figure responds and reacts with adjusted speed. Everything is shown in realtime, an experiment in VJ/DJ collaboration.
Devil as a Polygon Installation Footage
HEAVENS GATE INSTALLATION (3/18/2011)
WITH ACCOMPANYING AUDIO BY MICHAEL DELEWSKI
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Once as an attempt is made at creating a utopian society, the realization that fantasy cannot physically exist comes to fruition. One mans utopia is rarely ever shared by the masses. The execution of a shared ideology is dangerous, especially when formed with unrealistic expectations. How does one person convince others that their idea of a utopia is the right one? When does utopian ideology turn into a religious following?
Within this installation, monitors looping a gradually degrading, repetitious video of the Heaven’s Gate cult leader, Marshall Applewhite, surround the viewer. It is the viewer’s choice to enter the circle, just as the Heaven’s Gate members had the choice to join the group. Once inside, however, the dynamics change; the extreme external pressure from Applewhite himself is heightened through the repetition of his image, his ominous voice reciting “religion”, as well as the tightly enclosed circle around the viewer. The claustrophobic relationship of monitor to viewer mimics the socialo pressures that occurred within the group. The source video is the initiation tape, where Applewhite attempts to recruit potential followers into his (eventually) suicidal cult.
FOR THE HEAVENS GATE INSTALLATION (3/18/2011)
AUDIO BY MICHAEL DELEWSKI
3 MINUTE SAMPLE
CREATED FOR THE SHOW PORTABLE MAGIC (5/30/2011)
WITH AUDIO BY MICHAEL DELEWSKI
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Object significance is an obviously relative subject. What make an object special to one person is different than the next. By combining the elements of significance and magic, an object of complete importance can be embodied.
The object will be hidden somewhere in the apartment space; the viewer is encouraged to stumble upon the piece, and hopefully, revisit it. Hidden within the depths of a darkened closet, a video feed of a 3D rock compressing into a crystal is found. The object slowly hovers as it turns from one component to the other, and back again. Depending on when the viewer discovers the piece, they will either experience an affinity or ambivalence to the object received, questioning its importance. Assisting the video feed is a music track, coercing the viewer to feel differently about the found object. The music subtly changes: when assisting the rock, the music is child-like and muted. But when the diamond appears, the track turns into a lush accompaniment.
