Nervous Thrasher

Nervous Thrasher is a visceral performance that combines power, amplified sound, strange encounters, b-humour, and the human experience in an experimental installation involving acts of real-time sonification from airborne sculptures. Presented at Current Plans in Hong Kong, the performance features two flying sculptures. One sculpture is a flying wheel, fabricated using hyperrealistic sculpture techniques and custom embedded electronic hardware and code. During the performance, the artist remotely piloted the flying wheel impressively close to the audience. An artificial neural network flies the other sculpture. The helium-assisted abstract form’s movement and sonics are determined by its immediate surroundings and encounters. Both flying sculptures' flight controllers transmit in-flight data to a remote server for real-time audio synthesis and generative composition. Machine learning and amplified aural elements allow for perception beyond the visual dimension.