Installation
"The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness can not comprehend it."
The inspiration for this project came from a question: What would it look like to have the aspects of my life (physics, art, music, and dance) interacting with one another in a black box?
I have always been fascinated with color, light, and movement. My study of the particle-wave duality of light in physics coupled with my observations of color and light through painting and drawing transformed my understanding and perspective of how I experience light. The additional parallel to sound wavelengths and tone in music deepened this appreciation. My lifelong study of dance provided the medium through which I could articulate movement through space.
The opportunity for this exploration was made possible by the facilities at Westmont. With a black box theater containing mirrors along one wall, a plethora of talented musicians and dancers on campus, and the sculptural and manufacturing tools to create installations, the elements I needed to make this vision a reality coincided in Spring 2012.
Each color of light has a unique wavelength, pattern, and emotional connotation. I chose to pair a musician and dancer with each of the colors of light and asked them to explore what that color meant to them.
Red (violin): fiery, passionate, vibrant, piercing
Green (guitar): earthy, grounded, stable, deep
Blue (piano): watery, fluid, glassy, continuous
The oscillating mirrors I designed and built provided the final piece for controlling the colored paths of light, following the dancers movements as they explored the space, overlapping each other during the interactions between parts and the whole. The audience became part of the piece, standing around the perimeter of the room and contributing to the reflection of light through the faces of the viewers.
This performance piece explored the dynamics and physics of light in a dark space. The elements of light, mirror installation, music, and dance united in the black box theater, allowing the viewer to experience the interaction of sight, sound, and movement in innovative ways.
Canvas of Light
Artistic Director/Designer/Choreographer: Bethany Sutherland
Dancers: Audrey Uhland, Lauren Baker, and Sarah Harvey
Musicians: John Ortberg on guitar, Matt Dorado on Piano, and Erin LeVoir on Violin.
Special thanks to Ben Offringa for Lighting Design and Westmont College Theater Department for making this dream a reality.
Adapted from Swell Season (Instrumental) by The Swell Season
Westmont College Fringe Festival, April 2012