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Category: The Exhibition

Personal summary of exhibition

I think the starting point and inspiration for the whole project was creative, we tried to give the experiencer a close combination of scent, sound, image and scene. We realised a life stage experience showcase where the experiencer can go through and choose from the five life stages in their entirety. In the production part of the video, I made a video for each life stage separately. For example, there are two options for the childhood stage: happy and challenging. Most people who have a happy childhood have memories of toys, sweets and cakes. At the same time I noticed that when we are children we see the world from a naive point of view and the things we see are significantly bigger. Therefore, we enlarged the graphics of the elements and gave them bright and lively colours. Alternatively, there are some people who did not have such a good childhood. They may have been influenced by the background from their families and perhaps they would have been more mature and rational earlier. Therefore, in another childhood video I chose to reduce the saturation of the overall colour style, while designing special effects such as brokenness and cracks.

However, we also encountered a number of problems, for example, the numerous videos lacked associated commonality and narrative, and although we used many abstract elements, the emotional sense of the life stages we wished to convey was not sufficiently distinct. We did not control the mix of smells and the experience was affected by the lack of air circulation in the closed room. In the design part of the souvenir, we wanted people to be able to find their own life stage characteristics, but the images on the stickers were not linked closely enough to the visual video, which is something we would like to improve. In addition to this, the options offered as an interactive play experience may not have been intuitive and informative enough, which resulted in the exhibition not being interactive enough and lacking a certain level of interest. In conclusion, I think we should continue to improve and optimise it by testing it as many times as possible to observe and solve the problems that arise from the project.

Poster design

The theme of this poster is “STAGE OF LIFE”, which is a trance and summary of people’s life stages, so the picture reflects the sense of the future and mystery through the sacred, futuristic and religious landscape, the sun and the human scene. The poster also presents the theme meaning through colour transition changes, which gives the whole picture a sense of design and order.

Live integrated sound atmosphere creation

In my previous compositions, I have created 12 unique styles and scents and audience choices of music, each piece carrying a distinct flavour that resonates with the listener in its own unique way. From heartfelt orchestral music to upbeat piano pieces, from haunting synthesizer music to high-energy electronic music, I poured my heart and soul into each piece, trying to capture the essence of each style and communicate it through the language of music so that participants could become more immersive.

I wanted to take things a step further. I created a cohesive sound design for the entire theme that not only captured the individuality of each style, but blended them seamlessly together to create a unifying theme that resonated with the listener on a deeper level.

To achieve this, I spent countless hours researching and experimenting with different musical elements to showcase a person’s life for a few minutes through a combination of sound and music. I carefully crafted each piece to fit seamlessly into the larger narrative, so that themes, sights, smells and sounds tied everything together and created a sense of continuity and progression.

The end result is a comprehensive sound design that not only captures the unique vibe of each age group theme, but also links well with the nine smaller pieces of music. From the brooding introspection of the ballads to the infectiousness of the dance music, each piece works together to create a sonic journey that leaves a lasting impression on the listener.

In short, my latest project is not just a collection of individual pieces, but a carefully crafted sound design that demonstrates the power of music to transcend boundaries and connect us all on a deeper level.

Composition_Old age_music

Music Composition Categories

I have made categories in my musical compositions according to the different stages of age and identity:
The first category is based on the theme of ‘silence’ and features an emotionally charged atmosphere through lush strings and warm orchestral and piano instruments. The melodies are smooth and touching, with varied harmonic colours, leading participants to recall their own life experiences.

The second category features an ‘adventure’ theme, featuring strong rhythms and magnificent arrangements that inspire participants to take risks. The energetic melodies and epic musical atmosphere will lead participants to explore different life choices.

The third category features the theme of ‘Lost’, featuring soft synths and ambient sounds to create a calm and serene atmosphere. Through simple melodies, participants can immerse themselves in their own inner worlds and reminisce about their past.

The fourth category theme, “Exciting Moments”, features popular electronic rhythms and dynamic arrangements to provide participants with an exciting and enjoyable experience. The energetic melodies and rhythms will guide participants to recall those moments in their lives that are full of passion and energy.

The fifth theme is ‘Back in Time’, featuring folk-inspired guitars and warm ambient sounds, bringing participants a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality. The melodious tunes lead participants back in time to memories and emotions from the past.

Music Composition Process Part

In keeping with our artistic theme, we decided that the sound of this game would basically consist of real ambient sounds with some synthesized sound effects and music.

For the recording part:

We recorded some ambient sounds outdoors. Current sounds, urban ambient sounds, water.

 

Live recording of the music part：

Materials:

Grand Piano

Featuring piano playing and plucked strings

Music part:

A unique musical experience is created through the fusion of melody and interactivity. In this installation, participants will be able to explore and recall their own life experiences through each emotional choice that makes the melody richer, and while receiving different feedback. The music itself is centred on a melody, and that melody will reappear in different forms in the soundtrack of the art installation with a sense of superimposition depending on the mood of the participants’ choices, each of which unfolds with the previous stage in mind. One of the keys to the cohesive nature of the soundtrack, I hope, is to establish a strong consistency in the players’ minds and to add to the theme in a sonic way.
The musical soundtrack is an important part of the installation, incorporating the emotions and memories of the participants by way of sound. Each selection unfolds in the music in a different overlay, creating a unique musical experience for the participants. This musical coherence and cohesion will help participants to create a strong emotional connection within the installation and to experience the emotional world of life’s memories in depth.
Through their connection to the music, participants will be able to explore and recall their own life experiences. Each emotional choice will have an impact on the interpretation of the music, resulting in the creation of a unique musical piece of their own. This interactive musical experience will guide participants to express and experience their own emotions and memories through the language of music.

Dismantling and Return of Equipment

As of April 10, all the dismantling work and equipment return work have been completed. Thanks to all members for their hard work.
The Sound Lab exhibition was evacuated and cleaned up on April 7th, and we restored the sound lab to its original state. But since it was already 6:00 p.m. and the eca central store was closed, we returned the remaining equipment on Monday, April 10th. Special thanks to Xiaotong Huang,  Xiaoyun Wang and Xiya Wang for their help. Four monitors were returned.
The exhibition part of Stage of Life has temporarily come to an end. Next, I will arrange the division of labor and writing of reports, video editing of the entire project for sbumission2.

Exhibition Building for Stage of Life

According to the original plan and the arrangement of Jules, the exhibition we built in the Sound Lab of Alison House from April 5th successfully started a two-hour experience time at 4 pm on April 7th.
Although there were many accidents in the middle, the seven members cooperated with each other and helped complete the construction during the two days of arranging and building the scene. (One of the members is on vacation at home due to the unfortunate case of coronavirus)
Due to the particularity of the exhibition mechanism and experience, only one visitor can be received at a time, so we received a total of about 15 visitors within two hours.
Overall, I think the exhibition was relatively successful, and I am very grateful to every team member and David and Jules for their help.

Musical soundtrack ideas

Music is an important part of our integrated arts. It acts as a bridge between scent and vision, helping to convey to participants the unique emotion and atmosphere of each life decision. There are 12 different life choices in our Life Stage project, giving you the opportunity to explore a range of different musical styles and aesthetics. I used Logic Pro X to create a number of music tracks as examples of the different emotions and styles we could include:

I have found that using video images to generate music allows music and images to be combined, the music no longer just fits the state of the image, with the addition of scent the live visuals and images can better achieve their goals.

 

 

I have used many different real instruments, synthesizer sounds as instruments in my work, but have also had the opportunity to record live instruments and will deal with the musical aspects of sound. Taking the music further to new levels of dramatic subtlety is possible. More styles and genres can also be explored to suit the different artistic designs and emotional intentions of each stage.

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