CHLADNI PLATE COLLABORATIONS

DARK CRYSTALS
collaboration with Sam Tomkins and Jessica Hamilton.

This work explores how dialogue can be generated between image, sound and form.

Dark Crystals is a 4x5 photographic negative processed with ocean water collected from site. The work was created at Mollymook, NSW (Yuin Nation) in 2021.

Jessica Hamilton collected visual data from along the horizon line of the image to create a spectrogram. The spectrogram picks up the textures & variations the salt from the ocean water left on the photographic negative. Jess then converted the spectrogram into a waveform & processed the waveform through a synthesiser to create the sound piece. Using an online pitch detector I broke down the various notes/frequencies that occur within Jess’s sound piece and played them into a Chladni plate designed by Sam Tomkins.

A chladni plate is a way to visualise the effects of vibrations on mechanical surfaces. When the plate is oscillating with certain frequencies the salt on top will create distinct patterns. In the simplest terms, the chladni plate Sam has designed forms new images generated from Dark Crystals, via the sound piece Jess created.

Dark Crystals, 2021 - 4x5 photographic negative processed with ocean collected from site.

This is an example of Jess’s spectogram laid over ‘Dark Crystals’. The spectogram was then converted into a waveform and processed through a synthesiser to create the sound piece.

The salt has reacted to [296.3 Hz - D4] to create this pattern on top of the chladni plate.

Installation view of the ‘Dark Crystals’ installation in my exhibition ‘Salt’ at The Mixing Room Gallery.

D#6 - 1268.9hz
collaboration with Sam Tomkins and Jack Zeising

While on residency at the CORRIDOR project (Wiradjuri Country, NSW), I recorded the song of Pied butcherbird. There are 8 consistent notes in the melody (two of which are repeated). Using a pitch detector I found the frequencies of the 6 notes and played them into the Chladni plate designed by Sam Tomkins.

Choreographer/dancer Jack Zeising and I, took one of the shapes (D#6 - 1268.9hz) and using landscape chalk sketched it onto the ground near where the pied butcherbird was originally recorded. Jack choroegraphed and performed a dance piece within the shape which we have filmed and turned into a video work.

The production of this work has been discussed and endorsed by Wiradjuri woman Aleisha Lonsdale (Aboriginal Arts Development Officer for Arts OutWest & Chairperson for the Mudgee Local Aboriginal Lands Council).

D#6 - 1268.9hz - the shape a note from the Pied butcherbird song made on the Chladni plate. A simplified sketch of the note and a still from a video work created with choreographer Jack Zeising.

4 minute excerpt ‘D#6 - 1268.9hz’ - video collaboration with Jack Zeising.