21st Century Chapel is a piece that arose out of an extended self-directed project as part of Fine Art Media in NCAD.
The work explores the relationship between deified technology and historical modes of worship today. A private space was constructed using source material from photographs and sound recordings of St Patrick’s Cathedral, but with synthesized representations of ecclesiastical iconography – a hyper-modernised place of worship.
Photographs of St. Patrick’s Cathedral’s stylistically diverse stained glass windows were filtered through a Nodebox script that takes a colourlist of 4800 colours from each image and redistributes them randomly on a 60 by 80 rectangle grid. 50 images were output into Max/MSP, which subtly generates an infinite loop of slow 30 second cross-dissolves. In the transitions, new images are formed as the colours become mixed and in a constant state of transformation. The images are back-projected onto a screen replicating the effect of sunlight passing through stained glass.
View the Nodebox and MAX/MSP scripts here.
The organ sounds were recorded at St Patrick’s Cathedral on one of the world’s best restored early twentieth century organs. The organist is Shiloh Roby, who improvised a 50 minute performance with specific emphasis on the organs drones and diverse textural range. This performance was then cut up into 30 second samples, which Max/MSP sends to a four-channel audio system in real time, digitally replicating the acoustical qualities of organs and their peculiar resonant qualities inside churches.
Some samples will be available soon.
Click here for information on Shiloh Roby.
The space itself is strictly modelled on a golden pentagon, ie a five-sided symmetrical shape that is divided by the ratio 1:1.618 separating its apex from its base. This mathematical model of construction is common in religious architecture – an interesting collaboration considering the strictly objective nature of science and the blind nature of faith. Psychologically, the construction is designed to make the viewer aware that they are in an extraordinary space and add to their sense of curiosity about the abstracted imagery and audio.
Gallery
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