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Three Sonic Panoramas: Vancouver, BC | 2007
Single-channel projection with quadraphonic sound.

Photographs were taken with a mobile phone and imported into a computer. Image size is reduced to 20 pixels wide, and each panorama is six photos (120 pixels) across. Color data from each pixel is converted into sound using the programming language SuperCollider. Sounds are distributed among four speakers to correspond with locations in the panoramic view. Color information captures the light, weather, architecture, and vibrancy of the city at particular moments in time. Data in digital representations is source material for music, and the reductive processes of digital encoding resemble blurry imperfections of human memory.

#1: Stanley Park, Coal Harbor | MP3 excerpt | 1.7 mb


#2: Queen Elizabeth Park | MP3 excerpt | 1.9 mb


#3: Science World, False Creek | MP3 excerpt | 1.8 mb



This project was created at The Western Front Artist Residency and Studio Mentoring Workshop and presented at the Remote Access concert series. (My assignment was to create a piece of music using a mobile phone.) Thanks to Guest Curator of New Music Ben Wilson and The Western Front for their support, and to Larissa Loyva and Velveeta Krisp for their participation in the workshop.