A portfolio of three cross-media compositions : Notes from the Conference, Parallel Lines and Mother, Baby, Life

Abstract

This portfolio of cross-media work comprises three pieces of audio-visual art, accompanied by a written commentary which discusses the motivations, techniques, and technologies which led to the creation of the works themselves.
The common features of the pieces are addressed in terms of aesthetics and techniques. Narrative, in both spoken and text forms, is an essential component of the sonic content of the pieces, together with soundscape materials and visual backgrounds. “Dream Sounds”, euphonious drones and “Siren Voices” are integral parts of each composition. The inclusion of short quotations and samples extracted from broadcast materials is examined. The development of the three compositions from their original concepts is noted and placed within the context of contemporary artistic and cultural practice.
Making art is considered as an essential part of a journey of self-discovery and personal expression. A framework, Gesamtkunstwerk, which achieves these ends under the artist’s sole control, is described, as is the technology which gives it possibility. The emergence of an individual style as the works developed, along with a consistent methodology, is discussed. Practical choices in materials and techniques are critically examined, in both composition and performance phases. Inevitably there is the recognition that this work is just a stage in a considerably longer process and there is more still to be done.
Details of equipment and software used in production are listed together with a description of how they are used. The recording of both sound and video, and their editing processes are described, as is a brief look at the animation process.
The pieces are presented on pen drives as Movie files, together with the video and sound files used in their construction.