At first glance, the visuals seem mysterious and almost intentionally obscure. Then, as you watch the dance of pixellated artwork in “Dot,” you see moments of strange, lonely beauty.
Brazilian-based audiovisual artist and regular reader Henrique Roscoe (aka vj 1mpar) writes us to describe his work:
This is an audiovisual performance with synchronized sounds and images, played by a ‘game console’ built and programmed by the artist, and controlled by retro videogame (Nintendo) joysticks. The instrument is completely autonomous and works without the need of a computer, using only a projector and sound system to play its content. All images and sounds are played in real time and the public is invited to participate ‘playing’ part of the performance.
The work pulls apart the logic of gameplay, leaving the image and interaction as a kind of aesthetic artefact. From the video description:
The performance works as a game, and each part deals with a specific theme:
– Violence: critic to the stimulus of the use of violence in games. In a hole opened over a red background, the players movements draw veins that leave tracks of blood.
– Downgrades: ones value is measured by the diminution of the other. Two elements in the form of screws are stuck on the ground. The only possible action is to hit the ‘opponent’, sinking him more and more.
– Excess: each player controls the position of falling objects. This objects fill the screen until there’s no more space for the player.
– Standardization: critic to fashion and the imitation behavior. Abstract shapes pass through the screen and the player should change his own shape in order to become similar or different from the others.
– Decadence: Melancholic ending where both players goes down a 45 degrees ramp. The only possible movement is delaying the arrival of the bottom.
More on this and a lot of other wonderful audiovisualism from the same artist (as featured at venues like LPM, the Live Performers Meeting and a hotbed for live visuals):