
celestial resonance
This project was presented at ANAT symposium in 2022 and demonstrated an audio-visual encounter with anatomical components of an imagined nebula.
Image by Pamela Bain, sound by Dr Jeffrey Hannam.
Celestial Resonance is situated at the intersection of creative practice and an interest in Astronomy that harnesses receptive modalities of sound and vision. Extending from the work already conducted by each practitioner within the scientific domain, this project brings together analogue and digital technologies - involving multidisciplinary approaches of painting and paper sculpting, photographic processes, and digital sound components – aimed to present an audio-visual installation sensorily absorbing the audience within the astronomy zone. Seeking to convey characteristics of deep space nebula anatomy, a colour coded legend listing elements such as hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen together with temperature variations appears on a separate two dimensional image. This information is translated into sound effects when participants activate areas on the picture plane via sensors that register colour and trigger varying sound signatures relative to its colour space. Promoting multi sensory engagement with the installation, optimally expands the audience base to include those who are sight impaired. A braille component was produced that explained the matching of sound effects to elements and its temperature characteristic. This project, thus, relates to Pamela's vision disability which has motivated the project together with Hannam's development of sonification tools for visually impaired researchers for the access and analysis of scientific data.