Model
RANDY 7.5
2021
WARNING!
"Randy 7.5" is a continuation of the artwork "Randy 7," designed for interaction by two participants. In this iteration, the input interface of the installation has been modified to two metal plates affixed with touch-sensitive microphones. Following the phrases attached to these metal plates, the audience is encouraged to transmit action signals into the amplification circuit by touching, stroking, or even striking the metal plates, with the resulting sounds played back through speakers. The entire structure of Randy 7.5 resembles a seesaw or balance, where the intensity of interaction on both ends affects the amplitude of the seesaw-like movement.
The pivotal sounds in the artwork, analogous to "bearing weight," begin to resonate even before the audience starts touching the metal plates, producing a feedback effect due to the distribution of microphones and speakers. This effect adds a layer of deep and rugged undertones to the sounds, followed by explosive impacts distinct from the heightened tones in Randy 7. If Randy 7 generated sounds indicative of a dialogue and negotiation process, Randy 7.5 can be likened to the astonishment and low growls of two thunderclouds.
The transformation in sound is related to the exhibition context. During the first two weeks of the exhibition, the welfare society's reading area (an area not originally designated for exhibition applications) featured activities showcasing video works by three different artists. One of these videos, projected on a roughly 100-inch wall, visually depicted a cityscape surrounded by drifting thunderclouds, accompanied by thunderous sounds. I consider the auditory and visual characteristics of this work as part of the environmental ambiance in the exhibition space. Through Randy 7.5, I intentionally sought to initiate a dialogue beyond the original context of the work. Hence, the operational instructions for the audience included the specific guidance, "...face the rear video and touch the metal plates..." The removal of that particular video work after two weeks allowed the thunderous echoes produced by Randy 7.5 to resonate in the space where the original work had become invisible, echoing the theme of the exhibition, "Echo Next Door"
Video documentation of Randy 7.5
2021
2'13"
FreeS Art Space, Taipei City, Taiwan
Randy 7.5
2021
Mixed Media
120x30x130cm
Randy 7.5 detail photos
Audience interacting with Randy 7.5