COMPOSING WITH ISOMORPHIC AUDIOVISUAL GESTALTS

This research represents an attempt to explore aesthetic deviations from established audiovisual practices through the composition of audiovisual works based on the use of audiovisual gestalts. Within the submitted portfolio, the visual materials are made from digitally generated 3D graphics rendered with lines and points suspended in negative space whilst the musical side is anchored in post-acousmatic (Adkins et al., 2016) and post-digital (Cascone, 2002) beats-infused aesthetics. The aesthetic deviations were explored through different qualities and behaviors of gestalts that span between the organic and the artificial. Organic qualities were achieved by exploiting physics or pseudo physics-based algorithms within spatio-temporal continuum while artificial qualities were derived from the use of metric grids, step transformations and rectangular shapes. This exploration includes different approaches to the creation of audiovisual material such as 1) exploitation of the motion of 3D graphics for the purposes of sonification, visual effects and temporal distortion, 2) juxtapositions of different audiovisual hierarchies in terms of which medium leads and which follows.

This written text accompanies the portfolio of 1) computer generated audiovisual works composed between 2014 and 2018, consisting of three solo works in total length 36’06” and two collaborative works in total length 7’47”, 2) a musical study piece that is 9’29” in length, 3) Stringvencer –a sequencer that utilises physics-based algorithms for temporal deformations of pre-composed musical structures, consisting of one Max patch and two Max for Live Devices 4) two Max externals and accompanying patches for optimising workflow when using 3D models within Max and for connecting points with lines in a 3D space based on the distances between points, 5) media clips and Max patches that support the commentary.

The written text presents theoretical models and concepts as well as tools and techniques that lie behind the construction of the works in the portfolio. Following the presentation of the portfolio in Chapter 2, the commentary continues with the presentation of a theoretical framework in Chapter 3. This theoretical framework, which I named the Isomorphic Audiovisual Paradigm, encompasses models of perception that deal with the perceptual integration and segregation of elements within an audiovisual scene. The models are borrowed from gestalt psychology (isomorphism and grouping principles) and psychophysics (binding factors). In Chapter 4 the aesthetic influences and their integration into my audiovisual language are discussed. Chapter 5 focuses on my compositional practice and thinking. The topics of time, compositional indeterminacy and what I call audiovisual hierarchies, audiovisual tightness and audiovisual escapology are discussed. The workflow and the development of a custom-made audiovisual system that represents my working environment are presented in Chapter 6. Chapter 7 discusses the technical solutions to the problems faced in the course of the research.