“Phase Pattern” is a site-specific, architectural composition for the Hyde Park Art Center. Intervening and expanding on the potential effect of projecting onto the HPAC façade, we chose to record the audio for our projection at the Notre Dame Church in Chicago. This juxtaposition of a more ambient, spiritual space with a more contemporary, technological space sets forth the conceptual framework of “Phase Patterns.” Our projection will examine notions of site-specificity and locality, current public art projects creating contemplative spaces and a historical hybridization of the classical with the contemporary.
The location of a church within a community is important, not only as a center, but during classical times as a place where art and spirituality were presented simultaneously. Despite their many cultural and aesthetic differences, the HPAC façade and the church share an important similarity, that of public contemplation. The uses of both spaces are important in offering a sanctuary of sorts for members of the community. “Phase Pattern” sets out to examine the separation of contemporary art and spirituality through subtle references of architecture, voice and materiality. Using color and sound, our projection establishes a visual and aural dialogue with the viewer moving through the interior and exterior spaces of the Hyde Park Art Center.
“Phase Patterns” projects images of twelve color textiles in correspondence to the twelve-tone chromatic scale. An example is the projection of a yellow/green in conjunction with the vocalized tone of C. Each textile swatch is projected simultaneously with the vocalized tone. The overall composition is atonal, based on the 12-tone chromatic scale. The 12-tone technique gives all 12 notes on the chromatic scale equal play within the composition, resulting in a dissonant sound. The importance of the 12-tone composition lies in the systematization of the content. This more systemized composition was chosen to present yet another contrast, to that of emotional and spiritual feeling. The end result is an aural hybridization of the classical with the modern, similar to what is achieved architecturally with the merging of the spiritual and contemporary spaces of contemplation.
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