Evaluation

I visited a new exhibition titled ‘UVA: Synchronicity’ at 180 Studios not long ago, which presented a diverse body of work that integrates new technologies with traditional media such as sculpture, performance, and site-specific installation. UVA (United Visual Artists) is a London-based collective founded in 2003 by British artist Matt Clark. The group's practice is based on the manipulation and sculpture of light as a primary medium or material, with scores commissioned by various composers which they combine with collaborative lyrics and electrifying visuals into stunning multi-sensory assemblages. UVA's works are better understood as events in time in which the performance of light, sound, and movement unfolds. On the left, there are photos of the installations from this exhibition that I found most interesting.

01. Present Shock II (2023, LED, sound, code): it is an installation in collaboration with Robert Dei Naja. It confronts the viewer with a barrage of statistic clocks displaying algorithmically generated news headlines based on current events, as well as data about the world-sourced demo of the internet. The bright red colour that was used for the number and the words shows the urgency and draws the viewers attention to this art piece.

03. Polyphony (2023, aluminium, rubber, electronics, speakers, code): this installation was in a circular shape, and I was able to step inside it. There were recordings of traditional instruments native to the local Baka pygmy tribe (Central African Republic) and organic sounds. The green colour coming from the LED tubes echoed the organic and natural senses that came from the sounds.

07. Chromatic (2022, LED, sound, code): This installation is an optical instrument that explores the interaction of colour and sound. There was music composed by Daniel J Thibaut; the melody that was being played was visualised through abstract shapes and geometric forms of different colours. Each line, shape, and colour plays a role in constructing this generative audiovisual installation. Light itself becomes the instrument in Chromatic as colour frequencies are expressed through corresponding sound frequencies in a synesthetic transmutation that yields both harmonious and discordant results. This installation was my favourite from this exhibition; I loved the melody that was composed as well as the idea behind this work. On the left, I have also put up a link to YouTube with a more detailed explanation of this installation.

08. Musica Universalis (2016, LED, steel, acrylic, electronics, code): Drawing inspiration from the movements and correlations of celestial objects, Musica Universalis physicalises the inherent order of the cosmos as light and sound; the kinetic sculptures create complex patterns with the architecture by circulating planes of light across the gallery, oscillating between order and chaos. This sculpture was accompanied by mysterious and futuristic sounds. Dating back to the ancient Greeks, the "music of the spheres" was used to describe the complex system of mathematical ratios that governs the movements of heavenly bodies—the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars. Plato suggested that earthly music could provide a glimpse of this divine order.

I feel inspired to experiment with different media in order to develop my projects and make my concepts more sophisticated after visiting this exhibition. I think that creating videos or sculptures would also help me to extract new colour combinations and shapes that I could use for design development.

References:

https://www.180studios.com/uva

https://www.studiointernational.com/index.php/uva-synchronicity-review-180-studios-london

My text also has references from the description plates from this exhibition.

Research

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