Abstract
The Korean and Japanese languages contain many onomatopoeia to describe phenomena which produce no sound e.g. how things look or feel and emotions. This mixed-media installation is based on this practice of “sound symbolism” of silent phenomena.
“Pika!” and “ppeonjjeog” depict flashing light in Japanese and Korean. They were used by the K-pop group Crayon Pop in Uh-ee for which the song was deemed unfit for broadcast by Korean Broadcasting System which heavily restricts Japanese content. Various combinations of the two words may be heard in the exhibition cell: “pika! ppeonjjeog” from the original, “ppeonjjeog ppeonjjeog” from a KBS-approved version which removed a “vestige of Japanese imperialism”, and “pika! pika!” catering for the Japanese market and backlash against the “Korean Wave”.
They are sung by Hatsune Miku, a sound bank from the singing voice synthesis software Vocaloid and a virtual idol claimed to be the most popular Japanese “singer” due to the volume of her output from her online user/fan base. The Risset rhythm or the eternal accelerando based on the Shepard tone is used: an aural illusion equivalent to Escher’s Stairs is created whereby the pitch and speed appear to continually rise. It is played back over parametric speakers, with the repetitive wailing recalling “sound cannons”, another directional audio technology used for crowd control.
The projections, 3D prints and laser-engraved crystals are created from the Menger Sponge and the Mandelbox, inspired by the well-known Mandelbrot set, and have a fractal structure similar to the sounds. It is a response to the architecture of the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju where the work was developed and exhibited, and its fetishisation of technology and media art.
As well as being used in everyday speech to describe all manners of light and reflection, “pika!” also refers to the flash of light emitted from the nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two words also aptly describe a growing number of art works from Asia where garish displays of flashing media are prevalent.
“Pika!” and “ppeonjjeog” depict flashing light in Japanese and Korean. They were used by the K-pop group Crayon Pop in Uh-ee for which the song was deemed unfit for broadcast by Korean Broadcasting System which heavily restricts Japanese content. Various combinations of the two words may be heard in the exhibition cell: “pika! ppeonjjeog” from the original, “ppeonjjeog ppeonjjeog” from a KBS-approved version which removed a “vestige of Japanese imperialism”, and “pika! pika!” catering for the Japanese market and backlash against the “Korean Wave”.
They are sung by Hatsune Miku, a sound bank from the singing voice synthesis software Vocaloid and a virtual idol claimed to be the most popular Japanese “singer” due to the volume of her output from her online user/fan base. The Risset rhythm or the eternal accelerando based on the Shepard tone is used: an aural illusion equivalent to Escher’s Stairs is created whereby the pitch and speed appear to continually rise. It is played back over parametric speakers, with the repetitive wailing recalling “sound cannons”, another directional audio technology used for crowd control.
The projections, 3D prints and laser-engraved crystals are created from the Menger Sponge and the Mandelbox, inspired by the well-known Mandelbrot set, and have a fractal structure similar to the sounds. It is a response to the architecture of the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju where the work was developed and exhibited, and its fetishisation of technology and media art.
As well as being used in everyday speech to describe all manners of light and reflection, “pika!” also refers to the flash of light emitted from the nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two words also aptly describe a growing number of art works from Asia where garish displays of flashing media are prevalent.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 24 Jul 2021 |
| Event | I’m Always Here - Osage Gallery, Hong Kong Duration: 24 Jul 2021 → 22 Aug 2021 http://www.osagegallery.com/image/I'm%20Always%20Here_visual_1024px.jpg https://www.cultureplus.asia/event/im-always-here/ https://recfro.github.io/threeminds/assets/img/ImAlwaysHere_Pamphlet_RAYLC_crop.pdf http://www.osagegallery.com/Exhibitions_past.html#hongkong-2021 |
Bibliographical note
Record validation is based on the information provided by the researcher(s) concerned. Suggestions for further amendments or supplementary information can be sent to [email protected].Research Keywords
- ideophone
- sound symbolism
- Risset rhythm
- Shepard tone
- multi-channel projection
- immersive installation
- 3D laser engraving
- data visualisation
- data sonification
- k-pop
- Japanese language
- Korean language
- Hatsune Miku
- Vocaloid