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The Prix Ars Electronica Archive is a collection enabling search and viewing of all the submissions since 1987. The award-winning projects are documented with catalogue texts and audio-visual media. All other submissions can be searched by title/artist and displayed with year, category in list form. Please cite the credits (artwork name, artist and photographer) and only use the materials if your article is related to Ars Electronica.
Force Field
ray lee
Original: ica performance extract 07.mp3 | 0:03:10 | 2.9 MB
Original: ray lee forcefield 1 72dpi.jpg | 614 * 461px | 294.0 KB
Original: ray lee forcefield 2 72dpi.jpg | 614 * 461px | 374.7 KB
Original: ray lee forcefield 3 72dpi.jpg | 614 * 461px | 300.9 KB
Somewhere between a Victorian illusion, a performance of electronic music and a scientific demonstration, “Force Field” is an exploration of invisible forces made tangible, audible and physical. By interacting with the electro-magnetic “force field” that surrounds the theremin (the instrument you play without touching), Lee activates and controls a series of kinetic sound machines creating music and movement from the ether.
“Force Field” utilizes the digital information generated by playing the Moog Ethervox MIDI theremin. This MIDI information, consisting of note on/ note off and MIDI note values is converted by a MIDI relay driver (MIDI Tools 64 outputrelay driver) and used to switch on and off a series of electro-mechanical devices.
The principle of “Force Field” is that the theremin is used to control analog electro-mechanical devices. During the performance Lee initially demonstrates to the audience the operation of the MIDI theremin and the resulting hands-free control of the series of sculptural sound machines. He then builds a complex aural and visual texture without touching either the theremin or the devices, becoming in effect an electro-magnetic conductor of his series of sound machines.
“Force Field” utilizes the digital information generated by playing the Moog Ethervox MIDI theremin. This MIDI information, consisting of note on/ note off and MIDI note values is converted by a MIDI relay driver (MIDI Tools 64 outputrelay driver) and used to switch on and off a series of electro-mechanical devices.
The principle of “Force Field” is that the theremin is used to control analog electro-mechanical devices. During the performance Lee initially demonstrates to the audience the operation of the MIDI theremin and the resulting hands-free control of the series of sculptural sound machines. He then builds a complex aural and visual texture without touching either the theremin or the devices, becoming in effect an electro-magnetic conductor of his series of sound machines.
Supported by: Oxford Brookes University, Arts Council of England, ICA, London
Ray Lee (UK) is an artist, composer, performer and lecturer. Over the past twenty years he has made work that includes performance, installation, composition, and photography. His work investigates his fascination with the hidden world of electromagnetic radiation and in particular how sound can be used as evidence of invisible phenomena. He is interested in the way that science and philosophy represent the universe and his work questions the orthodoxies that emerge and submerge according to the currently fashionable trends.