Artist impression

Updates!
I have decided to change my project title to " Half-empty ". It may be subject to changes again. We will see...

enjoy~

World news

Child Take A Bath Inside A Plastic Bucket 

Image from the same news link below.

I just feel like sharing this news from World Environment News about sanitation and water problems in our neighbour country, Indonesia.

news link: here.

Project design (diagram)

Diagram of artist impression

(on a single set)

There will be six or less sets altogether. Video footages can be seen each of the pails. The intention of using different sizes of pails is simply to indicate the priority of the water sources available. The location of the pails will be permanent at their spots accordingly. The installation of the sensors are near to the pails (somewhere at the top ceiling of where the pail is located). 

Final Proposal -change of metaphore

Topic: Water

Title: In The Pail

Background:

'Freshwater is perhaps the most crucial resource for humans and all other living creatures on earth. Our life revolves around water, and sufficient clean water is essential for our healthy living as well as the health of the environment.' (WWF-Malaysia,2009).

Problem Identification:

people dont know about water source in malaysia. Malaysian has the typical lackadaisical attitude towards environmental issues. Most Malaysians are not aware of our current water issue. They still think that We are so Rich in Water source and we can continue using fresh water as always.

Objective:

To learn about different water resources in Malaysia

To identify sounds of water

To experiment with water and sound

Motivation:

At the same time to provoke awareness of the rising water issue in malaysia, in conjunction with WWF's effort of educating people about the environment.

Idea/concept:

My intention is to expose to users about water in Malaysia. How is our daily use of water brought to us?

previously, the metaphore I planned to use was umbrella. By using the same objective, motivation and identified problem, my idea is an audio visual installation. Using sound and video of different source of water, this installation will be using pail/ bucket as its visual metaphore. The reason of using pail / bucket is simply because it has direct connection with water. Generally pails are used to carry water.

Different sizes of pails are located in some spots and the motion sensor should be near to the pail. In the pails there are the videos of different water source footages, say the waterfall, river flow, tap water, etc. It should look like the water is in the pail. Each sensor will attached with different sound of the water. When user are in the area of sensors, motion detected and it will trigger the sound output from the speaker around the space. When more people are in different spots of the sensor, differnt sound will be played simultaneously. It could be an experiment for the users to play around with the different water sound installed. It would create something like a sound mixing experience.

The visuals in the pail is just to indicate the users of the source of sound, instead of showing in text, i suppose by showing videos would be more interesting.

Poster

Artist Statement

Title: In The Pail

ID: 1061104081

By: Tan Ming Jie

Blog url: http://thecolorsonmypalette.blogspot.com

In The Pail is an audio visual installation using pails, also known as buckets, as visual metaphore. It is a project to experiment with sound and visual of different water resources. It requires user interaction to trigger the sound. There are up to 6 different sound of water from the nature. Speakers are placed on the four corners of the space.

Motion sensors are installed to detect motion and will trigger sound. When the motion stops, the sound will fade out. Projectors are used to project the video of the actual source of the water. The size of the videos are scaled according to its different sizes of pails. Users can see the visuals in the pail.

The theme of this project about water sources in Malaysia. Our country is facing water shortages from time to time but the issue taken lightly by most of the public. Water as a crucial element in our daily lives should be appreciated. Through an experimental interaction with digital media, perhaps user could know better about water- driving force of nature.

Content Development #2

Part (II)

How water is brought to you? 
Have you ever wonder?

Credit: http://taliworks.com.my

I would like to include the the water running from the drain. 

All these should be a collection of water from the source to the users and then where does the used water goes?

Many might have the answer that they are ' down the drain'  and if we ask more in depth about where the water is going, I guess it would be a question mark there.

Idea Development #2

*// doodle 1

       *// plastic bucket. via here.

   *// doodle 2

Instead of umbrella (as mentioned in the proposal), I reconsidered that 'pail' could also be a suitable visual metaphore for my project. 

This was inspired by the picture of the African boy and his queue of pails. The water scarcity issue in the water-stressed countries and also the once very serious water shortage period back in 10 years maybe. I could still remember at that period of time, water supply is only available only at a limited time. Everybody was busy buying bucket / water container in huge size to store water for usage. Big plastic pails their ever highest sales during that time.

Definition from Answers.com

Pail: A watertight cylindrical vessel, open at the top and fitted with a handle; a bucket. 

Pail has direct connection with water. It is simple yet remarkable. Everyone knows that a bucket is generally use to carry water.


Possible Backend technology:
-Arduino
-PIR motion sensor
-Max MSP / Flash 3.0
-Laptop computer
-Surround sound speaker system
 (reference: sproutlab, Rain project)


Precedence studies reselected:
- WATER, video installation (Reference 2)   
- Rain installation  (Reference 3)

Idea Development #1

Image via here.

Credit: FAO Water.

What can you see in the picture?

"a boy", "an African", "an extremely dry land", "pails, buckets, containers"

What do you think he is doing?

"lifting the bucket up", "waiting for water", 

"want to get refill",  "waiting for the rain to come to collect water" 

*(answers collected from some friends)

You probably have all sorts of opinions about the picture but one thing that you would most probably link it with, I believe, is the scarcity of water in that region. No matter what the boy in the picture is doing, it must be something to do with water. They are facing ABSOLUTE WATER SCARCITY. That is so scary! I wouldn't imagine how would us live at that arid region.

---------------------

"Water is the driving force of all nature. "

                              -Leonardo da Vinci 

untitled #C

S.R.I.
Finally got rid of it!!!
Those research papers and citations and stuff was making me so confused. Everything I was reading about "water""water" "water" water WWWWWAAAAAAtttttttttteeeerrrrrrr.......
Half way doing it, I got these illusions where everything in front of me are those keywords I 've been typing in the Google search engine.
"water resource management"   "water demand" "non-revenue water""scarcity"....


HOWEVER,
It's unexpectedly enjoyable in the process when I started talking to myself which points should come first, which point I should put later, etc. ^^ In fact, the more I understand about the water resource and the world water crisis and the latest issue of the world, it got me motivated to do more research somehow. It's also helping me in developing new thoughts and ideas for my installation project. 
Nice!!! read more does help. 



* I feel sorry that my blog was not updated for at least a week. I've been trying to think what idea development I should put in. Well, I realized ' trying to think' is an excuse as to try not to think. That 's so regretful. and eventually when there's a piece of paper and a color pen or something in my hand and i start doodling. That should be the real idea developing session.


CHEER UP! XD

Gantt Chart FYP 2

This "Tomsplanner" is so useful. TRY THIS! 

It claimed itself to be easier to use than Excel and MS project.

Yeh! I agreed.

Content Development #I

This first mindmap is about water generally.

The information was extracted from here.

From the big mindmap of Water, I selected one small portion to focus on.

This second mindmap is about the world water resources which includes 

our fresh water availability, water stress, and etc.

Image via here.

Digesting...

As i told, I have zero knowledge in field recording, with DIY stuff that would much save my cost on the equipments. I checked some sites about DIY on making recordings of their own. From these readings, I came across too many new terms that i hardly can remember and for each i need to check out the dictionary and still i don't really get it. T.T


These are some sites I've read.


field recording advice
http://quietamerican.org/links.html#field
contact microphone assembly
http://home.earthlink.net/~erinys/contactmic.html
DIY steel can hydrophone & preamp (step by step guide)
http://leafcutterjohn.com/?p=915

Brief about hydrophones:

"Most hydrophones are based on a piezoelectric transducer that generates electricity when subjected to a pressure change. Such piezoelectric materials, or transducers can convert a sound signal into an electrical signal since sound is a pressure wave in fluids." from wikipedia.

reference #3

Rain installation by Rob Innes, Per Nilsson and Denlz Olcay in the year 2007.

I thought this is something similar of what I thought for my project. When someone is under one of the umbrellas, what he could hear is the sound of rain (from the video), but in my case it would be some different sounds of water.

ref: Rain project
      (Thank you Jacque for the reference link ^^)

The Recording Equipments (Part 2)

Definitely I am not going for cellphone in this case.

Image via here.

This is a Rode NT4 single point stereo microphone on the end of a boom pole (with Rycote Mini Windjammer furry cover)

It's a high quality one and portable. Not for underwater use.

The Recording Equipments (Part 1)

There is something that I forgot to explain. As in my previous post in Research & Analysis, I was mentioning that I might be looking into Arduino for my technical support. Unfortunately, my project does not need that type of technology yet. So now that I have selected my final proposal which is the combination of two of my ideas named Play-water for now(might be changing to a better one). It will be an audio-visual installation for audience to experiment with water.


As you know,  it is obvious that my project will have to be 'playing' with the sound of nature and recordings and shooting and etc. At this moment I know that I will be needing some sources like the sound of the flowing river, the waterfall ambient, tap water and etc. and all these should be using field recording which I know little of them. maybe slightly a little bit more^^.


but...
No Worries!!! I'm gotta get them all by myself. No downloadings from somewhere some holes in the Internet. T.T  and therefore Me will have to check out on what I will need to use to record.
Cellphone?
Microphone?
Hydrophone?


THE ANSWER IS...

"Come back after the commercial
~~"

Artists' projects related to WATER

From my research recently, I found out that the artists community in the world had worked together in groups to create awareness about the water issue on our Earth through art. They realized that there is a need to educate people to maintaining today's water. They are concerning about shortage of drinking water, good sewage system, environmental pollution and the signs of global warming which are occurring in no time everywhere on Earth. Some cities like Seattle has had collaboration projects with local artists on art exhibitions and and through installation art to convey an alarming message to the public about the issue.


These are some significant projects done by some artists.
1. MAINSTREAM- awareness by art
url : http://www.xs4all.nl/~boumanbk/water.html
Ulay

Project: WATERTOALL by Ulay from Germany/ The Netherlands.
It is an installation / photography type of work.


2. In Seattle, they have the Water Calling Temporary Projects.
It is a collaboration project with their local government. 3 artists and 5 filmmakers explored water - examining its flow and its history, offering ways to care our urban watersheds and celebrating water's mythical power. The projects took place at various locations throughout the city.


One of the works is Mater Matrix Mother and Medium by Mandy Greer.
It is an installation in the park. 
A Fiber-River of blue yarn and recycled fabric.

"a 200-foot "fiber river" of blue yarn and recycled fabric that flowed through the trees"

Mater Matrix Mother and Medium from Ian Lucero on Vimeo.
more info via here.


3. Some other projects to be mentioned here are.
 - A Body of Water by Paul Sermon and Andrea Zapp


 - Water Level by Willemijn Bouman. 

   "A painting, a statement.

    A statement about the drinking- and wastewater situation in Cappadocia Turkey, 

where I live and work, which is out of balance."