““Noor” (which translates as ‘light’ in arabic) is a brain opera that asks, though metaphor, analogy, sound, text, light, movement, brain sensors and audience interaction with an ‘actor’ wearing an Emotiv EEG brainwave headset just one simple question – “is there a place in human consciousness where surveillance cannot go?” Noor is an original ‘brain opera’. Though artists have been working with EEGs producing musical events since the 1960s and 1970s, this is a full a full audio visual brain opera. Using an EEG enabled headset, the performer’s emotional states will, at various times, launch digital databanks of video, audio and a libretto while simultaneously displaying the performer’s brainwaves live-time for audience viewing.” part of the artist statement by Ellen Pearlman
It was an honour to cooperate with Ellen as technical director to assist her to complete the multimedia performance for ISEA 2016. We were using a EEG enabled headset to monitor the emotion of Saba, our performer, and generate a live visual stream from our video database. Visitors were sitting on floor and being surrounded by a 360 projection.
Ellen Pearlman: Director, Videographer, Saba Arat: Performer, Taras Mashtalir: Sonic artist, William Wong: Technical director, Tommy Martinez: Programmer, Natalia Fedorova: Librettist, David Leung: Choreographer, Vincent Mak: Videographer