Distrubed Identity

Sound Design for an installation by Iris Xiaoyu Qu shown as part of Entangled: Bio/Media at Chronus Art Center in Shanghai, China.

The distributed identity of an artificial landscape is an audio-visual installation that reconstructs the physical embodiment of a machine learning algorithm. Based on satellite images collected from 25 rare earth mining sites, a Generative Adversarial Network “learns” its raw material lineage by generating a series of artificial landscapes.

The sound design is based on "mains hum" - a constant low-frequency sound of 50 or 60 Hz depending on location, generated by the currents flowing through the electricity grid that powers data centers around the world. Using MaxMSP, I created a generative algorithm to move sine waves based on harmonics of 50/60hz between 6 speakers, creating a constantly shifting spatial soundscape.

Click here to experience the installation online.