Textilen is a project designed to draw the human senses to the world of micro and macro patterns in sound and color and to explore methods for correlating the two mediums. This goal is accomplished via a two-fold process. First of all, patterns in sound are explored through the use of textile materials by way of creating new instrument interfaces, synthesizer sources, and tones in music harmony. Textilen involves challenging the traditional perception of a textile garment as solely a vehicle for visual and tactile stimulus by incorporating auditory stimuli, which complements the patterns, colors and textures of the existing material. The visual language of the textile is reflected in the musical language created by the piece, acting as if the materials were sheets of music for an orchestration. This metaphor of an orchestration of textiles and sounds is realized in several layers of the project, however, it manifests itself primarily in the form of several characters, each with their own costume; functioning as a visual and audio communication device.

Secondly, the patterns of the textiles themselves are explored and incorporated into costumes and characters so an association between the emanating sounds and the visual stimulus presented by the characters, highlights the underlying patterns used in both mediums. The building blocks of these characters were cut from self reflections of transformation, transcendence, adventuress, curiosities, and what I inspire to be. The process was literally the making of a band, from instrument design to character designs consisting of four personas: Nomad, Dream Weaver, Creature, and Shepherd. The final presentation will be organized in the context of a ritualistic performance art piece in a controlled sound environment, this ritual is to be a catalyst in strengthening social bonds between the characters.

“The growth of musical art in any age is determined by technological progress which parallels it. Neither the composer nor performer can transcend the limits of the instruments of his time. On the other hand technical developments stimulate the creation of certain forms of composition and performance. Although it is true that musicians may have ideas which hurdle these technical barriers, yet, being forced to existing instrument, their intentions remain unrealized until scientific progress comes to the rescue. . . If we admit that the creative imagination of the composer may form musical ideas which, under the specific conditions of a given epoch, cannot be translated into sounds, we acknowledge a great dependence of the artist upon the technical position of his era, for music attains reality only through the process of sound.”

–Joseph Schillinger, 1931

Inquiring parties may inquire at unibrow.jh (at) gmail (dot) com.

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