solo work / April 2022
Audio reactive video installation / Original score (4:33)
Fusing abstract video, music, and spoken word into an audio-reactive installation, What Is Black is a cathartic work where I reveal my confusion and anxiety about my multi-racial and ethnic identity. As much as it is my catharsis, this work also encourages others to be vulnerable without self-judgment.
Taking inspiration from James Turrell’s, Backside of the Moon and its concern for an artwork’s viewing environment, I encourage viewers to view this work in as dark a room as possible.
This project began by exploring the material properties of aluminum foil. Conceptually, I drew parallels between aluminum foil’s fragile nature and the fickleness of racial perception. By filming the interaction of light against a sheet of foil molded to my face shape, I captured the main visual of the project. The audio-reactive component is controlled through TouchDesigner and the original score was produced in Ableton Live.