radion | intermedia performance | synesthesia gallery, brooklyn ny | 2019

Radion, an evening of live experimental performances at Synesthesia, is the concept of artist Maria Takeuchi aka ÉMU. Testu created a custom projection screen for the floor of Synesthesia, altering viewers perception of the moving image, and creating a more intimate space for performance.

Sonic elements of Testu’s performance were created by Serena Stucke, who live manipulated recordings made by electromagnetic coils. The coils were used to document sound sources of MTA station info panels, security cameras, ATM machines, and massive lcd displays in the oculus. The results created a textural soundscape which was performed using spacial audio, and paired with live modular synthesis.

The visual elements of the performance were created by Dan Tesene. Contained within solid volumes of transparent resin, thousands of hand drawn lines catch light from projected video. This resin sculpture functions as a new type of analogue display screen and animation device which requires projected video to stimulate the drawn lines contained within. The source video chosen for this performance pays homage to animation innovators Oskar Fischinger with his 1938 cut out An Optical Poem, and Norman McLaren’s 1949 painted cell animation Begone Dull Care. The sculptural interpretation of these two artists works was captured live via DSLR and projected downward onto a custom screen.

curated by Maria Takeuchi