Advanced Beauty is an ongoing exploration of digital artworks born and influenced by sound, an ever-growing collaboration between programmers, artists, musicians, animators and architects.
The first collection is a series of audio-reactive 'video sound sculptures'. Inspired by synasthesia, the rare, sensory experience of seeing sound or tasting colours, these videos are physical manifestations of sound, sculpted by volume, pitch or structure of the soundtrack.
The films embrace unusual video making processes, the visual programming language Processing, high-end audio analysis and fluid dynamic simulations alongside intuitive responses in traditional cell animation. Each artist was given the same set of parameters to work within; to start, finish and exist within a white space, creating a seamless coherence, all sculptures sharing the same white environment.
Using the 1080p HD format, with 5:1 surround sound, the films transform the screen into a digital canvas, how the minimalism of a single, floating pixel can be as engaging as the maximalism of an intense multicoloured explosion.
Curated by Universal Everything and musician Simon Pyke, Advanced Beauty is an international collaboration, taking in a family of artists from London, Russia, New York, Japan, Buenos Aires, Glasgow to San Francisco.
“Advanced Beauty” is “exploration of digital artworks born and influenced by sound”. What’s the whole objective of this international project?
- The project is a vehicle for exploring deeper into audio-visual animation pushing possibilities of 5:1 surround and 1080 HD. We have collaborated with some amazing people worldwide, who use unorthodox methods to create animation including generative code, programming, architecture software and physics simulations. Our objective is for the work to spread worldwide via DVD, video podcasts, exhibitions, TV screenings and touring with OneDotZero.
What’s the main concept in your videos?
- We wanted a thread to run through every video, each exists in a white virtual gallery space. They are conceived as 'sound sculptures' as opposed to traditional narrative music videos - the visuals are grown from the music, sometimes the music generates the video, sometimes the video grows the music. We are focussed on the idea of minimalist video, how only a tiny pixel can be as engaging, and as screen filled with a billion colours
Do you consider being video art?
- We consider the TV can be seen as a digital canvas, to form video paintings, virtual sculptures or living, breathing expression.
Where do you get the inspiration? What kind of music, video or other arts forms do you seek to inspire your projects?
- We are inspired from everything outside of design; science, cuisine, mathematical patterns, comedians, kids drawings, naive folk art or future technologies.
What kind of programs do you use to create the video sculptures?
- Processing, VVVM, NextLimit fluid simulations, Apple Motion, C++, 3D Studio Max, Houdini....
How is all the creative and editing process ?
- We had a guiding hand in many of the works, but primarily set up the creative parameters which defined the coherence of the project. We invited artists whose work we loved consistently, there was no need for editing.
You link all the nowadays technology: from the ancient art of sculpture until video art on Itunes. Is this the future of art? All together, making a concept like “The Definitely Art”?
- We are interested in working on many surfaces - from pencil on paper to generative screen design. The convergence of media is growing closer each day, and we hope our ideas help bring them together.
Do all the artists involved have met before, live?
- Mostly not, as they come from every corner of the world - russia, argentina, japan, usa, uk, europe....but everyone has a shared visionand enthusiasm for exploring the unknown in video art
Why the decision to release it on DVD? Does video art have market for that?
- DVD is a medium which officialises the product, and consumers understand this as an artefact, Ideally we would release this projectusing digital distribution in full 1080HD - but we are still waiting for the industry to catch up. We also show the work in selected galleries worldwide.
Why the decision to put the videos on vimeo? Do you defend the democratization of art?
- Our motivation was to spread the ideas worldwide, the artists benefit from exposure of their work, it introduces the public to a relatively young strand of art - online shared is vastly more powerful than DVD distribution.
Which is your foresight for the development of Video Art worldwide?
- We are planning more video series, potentially using analog video methods such as stop-motion and cell-animation, and are currently developing new commissions for a digital art gallery in Paris
- thanks! Matt Universal Everything
Miguel Peres
Watch | Advanced Beauty Trailer
Watch | Directed by Universal Everything
Watch | Directed by Karsten Schmidt
Watch | Directed by Robert Seidel
Thank you to Philip Ward @ Universal Everything for all the help getting this interview , and for making the screening in Amsterdam possible.
The 18 sound sculptures presented on the advanced beauty project will be screen full in the Audiopleasures 2nd anniversay in Amsterdam , full and detailed program to present soon.
