ABSTRACTION

The goal of this project was to create an audiovisual installation that explores the theme Abstraction. The assignment required the work to include both audio and video in a projected installation, be based on a clear concept, use physical objects, convey a story to the viewer, and avoid the use of text. The project aimed to engage viewers in an immersive, sensory experience while exploring abstract visual and auditory storytelling.

Maker:
Chenoa de Boer

Concept of ABSTRACTION

The concept of this project explores the idea that flowers are received at different moments in life, each carrying a distinct emotional association. Some moments bring joy, others bring sadness or frustration. Instead of showing these emotions literally, the installation translates them into an abstract audiovisual experience.

The flowers serve as the physical objects in the installation, and projections transform them through shifting colors, flowing patterns, and movement that represent these different moments. Bright, energetic colors might symbolize joy, darker or mutedblue tones could suggest sadness and dark rs tones symbolize frustration.

The music, composed in Ableton Live, complements the visuals by enhancing the atmosphere and guiding the viewer’s perception of each moment, without directly controlling the movement of the visuals.

Through this approach, the installation allows viewers to experience a narrative of life’s varied moments through abstract visual and auditory cues. Each viewer can interpret the story of the flowers in their own way, feeling the progression from joy to sorrow, calm, or intensity through color, movement, and sound

OFFICIAL SET UP

DIFFERENT EMOTION PHASES

VISUALS

TOUCHDESIGNER PROJECT

The proces and technical approach

The project began by arranging the flowers as the central physical objects. I then created visual compositions in TouchDesigner, experimenting with color shifts, abstract patterns, and movement to create dynamic projections on the flowers. The visuals were designed to convey the different moments in which flowers appear, without representing emotions literally.

For the audio, I composed some short music in Ableton Live specifically for this project. The sound enhances the immersive atmosphere and adds depth to the experience, but the visuals move independently and are not directly driven by the music.

The process focused on exploring projection mapping, audiovisual design, and the interplay between physical objects and abstract visuals. Experimentation was key to balancing visual abstraction with a coherent sense of progression, allowing the viewer to experience an impressionistic narrative through color, movement, and sound.

REFLECTION

If I had more time, I would have explored additional interactivity by tracking a person’s emotions and translating them onto the flowers. This would have made the installation respond in real time, with the visuals and colors adapting to the viewer’s emotional state, creating a direct and personal interaction.

This project taught me how abstraction can create a compelling audiovisual experience without text or literal storytelling. Experimenting with TouchDesigner and Ableton Live allowed me to combine projection, physical objects, and sound into a layered, immersive environment. I also learned how subtle changes in color, movement, and sound can suggest a sense of narrative and progression, even in a fully abstract installation.