Ad Libitum is an interactive installation which explores the boundaries between auditory and visual beauty. No instrument is as vital to musical composition as the piano, which, in our piece, is the tool used to explore the environment. The tension that arises from the pairing of audio and visuals is highlighted; a delicate sonata may produce a clumsy or uninspired image, while a seemingly random series of notes could be beautiful. The notion that music can be art is rarely challenged, but the belief that auditory art is inherently paired with something of visual significance is an idea to be contemplated.
The installation itself will be relatively simple, consisting of only a musical keyboard interface and a projection screen. As a user enters the space, he will be confronted with an absence of auditory and visual stimulation. It will be as if he entered a void. Once the user interacts with the keyboard, the environment will be revealed as colored images directly related to his musical input appear on screen. The environment itself is constantly in flux as it responds to the user's input.
An additional layer of exploration is created by providing the user a pair of sound-proof headphones which eliminate the sound of music being played, allowing him to concentrate solely on the art.
Our hope in creating Ab Libitum is to encourage the users to think outside of their traditional definitions of visual and auditory art and how they relate to one another. This "synesthetic" experience allows the users to experience their world in a new manner and take away a new understanding of the relationship between visual art and music.
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