The Glasgow Science Centre is the venue for a special triple bill of performances at the Sonica Festival 2017. The event is taking place in the Full Dome area of the centre and looks to present three engaging and diverse performances that blend visual art and music.
OMNIS by Maotik, Hidden Towers by The Macula and Remote Sense by Johnny Knox are three events being showcased this evening. The format and presentation is atypical and effective. The audience sit in reclining seats, whilst the visuals are projected onto the surface of a dome that is above our heads. This presentation invites the artists to experiment in different ways and evoke a variety of responses from the audience that may not be permitted in a traditional cinema or performance experience.
The first performance is Remote Sense. This is a collaboration between visual artist Jonny Knox and sound artist Darien Brito. The show presents a combination of visual geology and architecture and looks at prehistoric art in an innovative and exciting method. At times the dome screen shows small particles that fall like heavy rain and then combine to present images of geology and archaeology. Other times these particles float like snowflakes and the vast projections on the dome surface make the audience feel contained within this beautiful and evocative virtual world. The soundtrack is structured to compliment the visuals and this causes Remote Sense to feel like an original and haunting experience.
Science fiction author William Gibson is the inspiration behind Hidden Towers. Gibson is the author of the influential books Neuromamcer, All Tomorrow’s Parties and Mona Lisa Overdrive. He writes cyberpunk novels that preset corrupt virtual worlds and these worlds are the influence for the digital landscapes within Hidden Towers. The audience is taken through a network of 3D buildings whilst a drone-like soundtrack adds to the experience. Due to the 3D nature of the show the audience feel part of this world and the landscapes and architecture are bold, alive and intimidating.
Maotik (Mathieu Le Sourd) is a Montreal based artist and the creator of OMNIS. This is the final performance and is an epic presentation to draw the Full Dome Triple Bill to a close. Repetition and optical illusions are presented to create an effect of movement and immersion. Twisting patterns produce the effect of motion, causing the audience to feel like they are on a roller coaster ride whilst sat in the comfort of their seats. As with the other two performances the soundtrack accompanies the visuals and adds to the full immersive experience. The Full Dome Triple Bill presented what is capable when visual art and music combine in unique ways. The method in which the visuals were projected made the event feel truly distinctive and highlighted the imagination of the artists involved.
The Sonica Festival continues across a variety of venues in Glasgow until Sunday 5 November. Another triple bill performance takes place on Saturday 4 November at Tramway.