Limited Spaces N1
CUBE
interactive Installation/performance
Alexandra Dementieva and Siegfried Canto
Choreography and peformance: Celine Peroud
Set design: Peter Maschke

coproduction : Transcultures - www.transcultures.be
Netwerk, Contemporary Art Center - www.netwerk-art.be

Technologies : Max/Msp/Jitter - SoftVNS - Interface-z 

The work 'Limited Spaces' is inspired by behavior psychology and asks for an active participation of the spectator, whose actions will interrogate our perception, our relations with others and our own image. The meaning reveals itself through the visitor’s involvement in dance, image and music. “Limited Spaces” is multidisciplinary work.
With references to the physically ingrained, ambulatory spectatorship of Minimal Art and to the virtual grounds of dance perception, 'Limited Spaces' revolves around a series of transformations that allow the spectator to observe hidden aspects of his perceptual behavior. Sliced, dispersed and multifocally projected, the dancer’s physical body enters a virtual realm that invites the spectator to a peripatetical exploration of the installation and of his own body. Moreover, the fugitivity of the medium dance perpetually reminds us of our own anticipations, projections and memories at play in our reception of reality. Aren’t dancing bodies always already virtual, clotted with body imagery and mental spaces? In which way are the spaces of our behavior, perception, memory and imagination limited and are we prompted to surpass them when we are literally stuck in a limited physical space?

The installation consists of a two meter Cube, surrounded by eight interactive carpets and eight linked speakers. A carpet produces a sound when a visitor steps on it. During the performance there is a nude dancer inside the Cube. Her movements, captured by several inside cameras are projected on the four sides of the Cube. None of the images show her whole body. The head is also not shown making the body totally anonymous.

While observing all four sides of the Cube, a spectator recreates the imaginary body in his mind. The visitor’s steps over interactive carpets modulate the sound. The dancer modifies her movements accordingly. The more visitors there are on the scene the more difficult it is for the dancer as the sounds superimpose and rhythm amplifies.

Technical description of performance and installation
Construction 'Cube'
4 dv video cameras
4 digital video projectors
wires to connect cameras and projectors
2 computers Mac G5 with ethernet cable (Mac or PC, 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Memory 2 GB, GeForce 8600M - 256 MB)
8 speakers and 1 amplifier
8 interactive carpets linked with computers, interface midi, switcher

Description
Performance
In the middle of a hall there is a white cube (each side is 1,5 m wide and 2,2 m high). Around it there are 8 interactive carpets linked to computers and 4 video projectors (each in front of one cube side).

Inside of cube there is a dancer. On each interior side of cube 4 cameras are fixed on different high levels and in such way that they can film only one part of dancer’s body and never her head. The images are projected directly onto exterior sides of cube.

Not far from cube installed desk equipped with sound and dimmer control panels for musician and artist.

Composer starts to play music and at this moment artist works with dimmer and images start to reveal themselves on cube sides. The dancer inside of cube reacts on sounds by turning towards its source and her movements evolve with it. More sound becomes violent and loud – more movements become nervous and desperate till the moment when the dancer collapses.

During performance visitors can see images of different parts of dancer’ body. For to create an idea about person inside, to see her entire image they walk around the cube stepping on his way on interactive carpets which produce different sounds. The dancer reacts on visitors’ sounds with movements (she can’t see visitors). The sound of visitors’ becomes also the part of musical composition.

Spectators can create a sound environment to make a dancer follow their orders. During performance the composer can modify sounds impact deceiving the expectations of visitors.

Time of performance 15-20 minutes

Installation

Installation «Cube» is working after performance. Based on show recordings, it functions as if a performer is still inside of cube and spectator can influence and direct her movements.