Thomas Porett: Mystery Street
Artist(s):
Title:
- Mystery Street
Exhibition:
Creation Year:
- 1991
Medium:
- 3/4" videotape
Size:
- 16'00"
Category:
Technical Information:
Hardware: Macintosh II fx, RasterOps 364 board, Microtek 300Z Scanner, MacRecorder, NuVista+ Board, Yamaha DX-7s, Yamaha TX16W (synthesizers), Alesis Ouadraverb (sound processor) and Casio RZ-1 (drum machine)
Software: PhotoShop, MacroMind Director, RasterOps videocapture software, and Vision MIDI sequencer
Video:
Other Information:
This piece is a 16-minute long sequence of images derived from digitized video and still photographs that have been edited in MacroMind Director to create a flow of visual imagery with what might be termed visual counterpoint. This has been achieved by using overlapping matrices of pictures to amplify and extend meaning. Visual complexities have been woven in with varied cultural references to create an allegorical Mystery Street, that symbolizes aspects of contemporary life in these times. A variety of events, circumstances, relationships are encountered to evoke the sense of celebration, excess, desperation, and mystery. The sound track was created with digitized sound from video and original music created on digital instruments using MIDI devices. The entire piece has been placed on an 80-megabyte hard drive that operates the piece in real time. Mystery Street, was exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philidelphia for the Artists Choose Artists exhibition, and ran continuously for six weeks. The videotape is a direct realtime recording utilizing a NuVista+ card.
