SOMA – BODY TRANSFORMATION INSTALLATION

Adelaide Fringe 2018 

FB Event: Soma Body Transformation Facebook Event Link

#Somabodytransformation  #ADLfringe 

The Installation: 

Sacred Resonance (Darren Curtis & Bradley Pitt) in collaboration with artists Jessica Curtis and Paul Owen return to the historical space of the Harts Mill Flour Shed for Adelaide Fringe 2018 for SOMA - Body Transformation Installation.

Fringe Guide Genre: Visual Arts & Design
SOMA - Body Transformation Installation
The Flour Shed @ Harts Mill, Mundy St, Port Adelaide
Entry: Free

Opening Night & Viewing Times:

OPENING NIGHT:

Saturday 24 Feb, 2018

7.00pm - 11.00pm 

HARTS MILL FLOUR SHED, Mundy Street, Port Adelaide

FREE TO VIEW DAILY: 

Feb 25 - Mar 4 

11am – 5:30pm

Adelaide Fringe Guide Ref: Pg 128

Overview:

SOMA – Body Transformation is a multi-channel, immersive sound installation created with data recorded from the human body. As a work-in-progress, SOMA will evolve as a multi-staged project through time, artistically expressing the story of one of our team member’s journey through self-experimentation with bio-feedback technology and body transformation techniques.

Artist as Subject:

One of our team members (Bradley Pitt) is currently recording a range of biometric data, creating a complex ‘diary’ of subtle inner changes over time. This process (sometimes called “life logging”) allows one to quantify the effect of various stimuli on the human body and how we react to them. That way, we can make more informed choices about the things we do that affect our bodies.

Some of the variables being measured include:

            • Blood pressure

            • Body composition (percentage of body weight attributed to water, fat, etc.)

            • Heart rate

            • Brain wave activity

            • Heart rate variability and coherence

            • Blood oxygen concentration

What is the Philosophy Behind SOMA?

Soma, in the Ancient Greek language means "body". SOMA draws upon and expresses ancient spiritual and philosophical understandings of the human body as divine. Many ancient cultures speak of how our body is composed of continuous, vibrating resonances. We are all made of vibrations, and so in essence, all composed of a form of music!  In the middle ages, Boethius described one of his three classifications of music as musica humana, the internal music of the human self that reflects our connection the cosmos.

What is Sonification?

Sonification in this context is about turning biometric data into sound / music, giving us a different way to perceive changes on the inner level of the body.

Why Convert Biometric Data into Sound?

Data sonification provides auditory observation of inner biological processes that are normally silent or invisible. Indeed, our auditory perception is much greater than our visual perception. Sacred Resonance will translate biometric data into an artistic, musical expression to allow one can experience the symphony of the human body. Through ‘deep listening’, the subtle changes in the soundscape will reveal hidden sound tones reflecting natural harmonics, the golden ratio and other sacred ratios inherent our (physical) human bodies.

By becoming more attuned to the resonance of our bodies, we are more equipped to learn how to fine-tune them to improve our wellbeing. Through sound, we can hear and feel the body’s biorhythms through patterns in their frequency, harmonic relationships, timbre (i.e. tone colour) and rhythm. We will come to realise that everything in life is a vibration.

Sound Art:

Sacred Resonance is assigning specific musical ratios, frequencies and sound design to the biometric data.

Sonification that is pleasing to the ear is not the goal of the project. However, through the sonification process we hope to articulate the underlying order and harmony that may be present in this data. The project aims to be true to the original data and express this honestly though the sound design processes employed.

Rather than focusing on the aesthetics of traditional musical composition we are using sound art to paint a picture like a beautiful scientific data visualisation or graph.

By way of example, we can take blood pressure readings (systolic and diastolic) over an extended period of time, then covert this, based on law of octaves, into the human hearing range. From that we can modulate the data into any sound, such as drone like harmonic tones.

Or we can take heart rate data and convert it into rythmic beats based on the timing of the intervals between the heart beat; known as Heart Rate Varibility. 

The Technical Detail:

The multichannel sound installation will consist of 6 Speakers in an array. There will be different sounds present in each channel, fused into a centre sound-scape. The multichannel work will switch between directional sound sources on each channel and also a fusion of sound working together. Switching directional sources between the speakers will allow the listeners to focus in of key sound.

The primary software that will be used is Max/MSP - a sound synthesis program. This then will work in sync with different Digital Audio Workstation’s like Logic Pro software to utilise synthesisers and create a final mix.

The sonification process will be as follows:

1. Find some interesting data points that reflect transformation.
2. Decide which sonic parameters to map (e.g. pitch, frequency, rhythm, dynamics, timbre, duration).
3. Scale the input data to match the desired output range.
4. Re-map output data to MIDI synths or audio processors.

Here is an example in visual form for how blood pressure data sonification would work:

1. Blood Pressure readings are taken
2. Data is entered logged into a spread sheet
3. Converting values into sine waves.
4. Play about 60 data points in 60 seconds.

Keys Areas of Inquiry:

• What body transformation tools achieve effective results?
• How can we collect, interpret and express data collected from the body?
• What does the sonification of human body data reveal?
• Do any meaningful patterns emerge?

Can we, through biofeedback, re-input the ratios found in this data, to create a more coherent effect in the human body? Can the data be used to assist in improving our health? (NB. we will explore this question more in stage two of SOMA – Body Transformation).

About the Artists?

SACRED RESONANCE:

Established by Darren Curtis and Bradley Pitt through visionary thinking and higher experience of the Divine, Sacred Resonance works with with music, visual form and the sacred arts. Their work covers musicology, archaeo-acoustics, brain-body entrainment, bio-feedback and consciousness, for a fresh experience of colour, vision and music being unified. They have explored different resonant patterns in a variety of settings, such as with muons (turning cosmic particles into sound), plants (converting electrical signals from plants into sound) and the science of cymatics.

www.sacredresonance.com.au  

IN SEARCH OF THE DIVINE - JESSICA CURTIS

Jessica Curtis (In Search of the Divine) uses art as a transformative vehicle to assist in the reorientation of consciousness to a multi-dimensional perspective. Thus creating a point of reference to unveil the divine template behind these times of great transition & transformation unfolding on Earth; ultimately fostering a spark of recognition of the ‘Divine Within’ & an understanding of humanities deep connection to the cosmos. In Search of the Divine engages in creative projects & collaborations that bring the spiritual & scientific together; inspiring a higher dialogue on the themes pondered by the great mystical traditions of the Earth which looked to the stars as home.

www.artsofconsciousness.com  

PAUL OWEN

https://www.facebook.com/paulowen437/

Complimentary Artistic Contributions:

For Fringe 2018 artist Jessica Curtis will be creating ‘data art’ in direct response to the body transformation data collected. The works will explore the inherent sacred ratios of biological systems through transforming data from the SOMA journey into a vivid sacred geometric visual art installation to be exhibited during the installation at Harts Mill.

Lightening designer, Paul Owen (Melbourne) will be joining the team again for the 4th consecutive year to augment SOMA with his visionary understanding of colour and light.

Why Support Us?

There is a massive epidemic in society right now. Whether it is stress, anxiety, obesity or diabetes, we have never been sicker. And for the most part, we don’t know what to do about it.

By supporting us, we will be able to inspire others to look after their health. We will demonstrate how we can take control and monitor the impacts of lifestyle choices on the body.

We want to teach others about the use of interactive technology, so they can see for themselves how they can be the masters of their mind-body. Ultimately, we aim to create a happier and healthier society, with people empowered to take health into their own hands. We hope to also teach workshops on bio-hacking and other elements of the project to educate the public.

Remember, the SOMA art installation will be FREE for the public to view.

Previous Successful Pozible Projects:

• ICOSA 44 – Interactive Crystalline Audio-Visual Installation (2014) ( https://pozible.com/project/176690 )
• Psi-Plantae (2015) (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lh9zQce_Es)
• Dance Between Worlds 432 (2016) (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX22Z_kb-2A )
• Agartha (2016) ( see https://www.sacredresonance.com.au/agartha ) 
• Muon – Cascading Light (2017)(see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=643JHaWB4R0 ) 

Creative Team:

Bradley Pitt – Curator / Creative Director / Concept

Darren Curtis – Curator / Creative Director / Sound Technology (BA Hons. MUS.St.)

Jessica Curtis – Curator / Creative Director / Artist (BA Vis. Comm.)

Paul Owen - Lighting Design

Soma Sound Bath:

This is an interactive extension of the SOMA - Body Transformation Installation;

2, 3, & 4 March 2018

7.30pm - Nightly Sessions

HARTS MILL FLOUR SHED, Mundy Street, Port Adelaide

Adelaide Fringe Guide Ref: Pg 109

An improvised performance exploring deep meditational states. Experience a live, diverse soundscape interweaving electronic sequences, synthesizer, singing bowls, voice & other instruments delving into an inner journey of harmonic healing vibrations.

Darren of Sacred Resonance will be using the latest in mind-heart coherence biofeedback tools to aid in composing the  musical soundscapes that you will expereince.

b.y.o. mat/cushion to sit or lie down.

Tickets from $15. link to tix > https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/soma-sound-bath-af2018

facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1501842779871050/permalink/1501843479870980/

LOCATION:

HARTS MILL FLOUR SHED, Mundy Street, Port Adelaide

< Google Map link >

Image: Hart's Mill - Flour shed (suported by Renewal SA and Our Port) 

SPONSORS:

Our Port 

https://ourport.com.au/

Renewal SA

https://renewalsa.sa.gov.au

More info and interviews:

Darren Curtis

SACRED RESONANCE

Ph: 0430 847 354

e: [email protected] 

www.sacredresonance.com.au 

http://www.facebook.com/sacredresonance 

SOMA BODY TRANSFORMATION BUDGET:

Total needed to cover main costs: of the instalaltion $4072

Potential Challenges to the Project:

• We do not reach out funding target; Pozible is an all or nothing crowdfunding platform. If we don’t receive the funding: we will need to downscale the installation & will not be able to deliver the full SOMA project as envisioned.

• Technology difficulties arise during the project

• There are no variables in Bradleys bio-rhythms (99% not possible as team members will force him on boot camp)