Dmitry Morozov ::vtol:: Stupa
Mechanical sound installation

About the project

During his one month residency at Ljudmila Dmitry Morozov ::vtol:: produced a first machine called Stupa in a row of a new project series, which explores and engages topics such as gravity, stability, chaos and self-organisation. The machine itself operates in two different states - stability and chaos. As soon as the machine reaches stable phase, it changes to unsteady, chaos phase, and vice versa, keeping the machine in the continuous loop between this two stages indefinitely. The machine is a equipt with a digital gyroscope, which is providing the system information on its position in space and translates machine's movements into the sound. Stupa is a robotised audio and kinetic installation that is based on my research (as part of practical art training) on such topics as gravitation, the stability of systems, chaos and self-organisation. The actual object may be described as a composite pendulum, with two main phases – stabilisation and resonance. The object is equipped with several motors ensuring balance/imbalance at several axes, a digital gyroscope/accelerometer and single-channel sound system. In the “stabilisation” phase, the motors use the data from the gyroscope to balance and stop the object, while in the “resonance” phase the data are inverted and compel the object to swing around all the axes. In this case the amplitude constantly rises until it attains peak level. Then the object transitions to the “stabilisation” regime, and as soon as balance is attained – the object again transitions to the phase of mechanical self-oscillation.

In addition, the data from the gyroscope on positions on the axes have a direct impact on the generation of sound, thereby contributing an additional “dimension” to the work, and illustrating the inherent processes. Initially contemplated as a test project for the development of a number of systems and principles, the object was transformed in the end into a standalone work, which resembles more the test bench of a flying machine developing its own choreography (which it is in part). To a large extent, my personal expectations vested in the system were misplaced. At the same time, however, I discovered a number of fascinating phenomena that appeared even more interesting than the ones that I had initially contemplated. It is also impossible to ignore the evident tendencies of the project for “resonant” self-destruction – observing the object’s behaviour triggers all manner of fears in its creator.
Dmitry Morozov ::vtol::

Timeline

Performance

SEPT 22, 8PM @ Cirkulacija 2, Ljubljana
Organised by Cirkulacija 2 ::vtol:: performed his AV piese for 4 notebook screens and 1 smartphone.

Clicker Workshop

SEPT 26 & 26 @ Rampa Lab, Ljubljana

Final presentation

SEPT 29, 6PM @ Ljudmila Lab, Slovenska 54, Ljubljana

About the artist

Dmitry Morozov aka ::vtol:: is a Moscow-based media artist. He focuses on technological art: robotics, sound art, and science art. Dmitry took part in the 4th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, the Archstoyanie (Nikola-Lenivets) and CTM (DE) festivals, and exhibitions at such prominent venues as NCCA (Moscow), MMOMA (Moscow), Central Exhibition Hall Manege (Moscow), Laboratoria Art & Science Space (Moscow), Electromuseum (Moscow), Garage Museum of Contemporary Art (Moscow), ZKM (DE), and Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (US). He is the laureate of the Sergei Kuryokhin Prize (St.Petersburg, 2013) and Prix Cube (FR, 2014). Dmitry received honorable mentions at the VIDA 16.0 (ES, 2014), Prix Ars Electronica (AT, 2015) and Honorary Mention in Digital Musics & Sound (Ars Electronica, 2017).

Residency is supported by the Slovene Ministry of Culture (in the co-production with Zavod Projekt Atol), MOL – Department for Culture and JSKD.