AS IF
MEDIA ART FYP 2013 | CHEW WIN CHEN
AS IF INTRODUCTION
Migration, takes place as part of rapid urbanization and plays an essential role in shaping an urban identity:a combination of what migrants bring along with them, how they adapt locally and the local's response. As if___ is a series of video installations consisting of three parts. Each invites the viewer into the life of the migrants workers in Malaysia while exploring the presence of each other within a space. As if Hope a single-channel video installation, depicts a variety of faces of the migrants. The casual interview and photos shoot sections conducted at a Burmese community have been an introduction to what it is to be a migrant in Malaysia - from their courtesy, gestures, expression, attires and styles. The sentiments continue in As if Home a loop video installation that depicts the presence of the migrants at a construction site. The Bangladeshi workers are commonly imported to build houses for the locals here. As if? an interactive video installation triggered by the viewer’s presence explores the viewer’s response by capturing their image and dislocating them. Who's who? Where's where? As if_____.
AS IF AS IF HOPE
Single Channel Video Installation, 8:15 min, Silent
As If Hope was shoot in a Burmese Community at a shopping complex in Malaysia. In order to capture a natural expression of the migrants’, two camera was set: one for the photo shooting section and the other to video record the whole process of the photo shooting. The photo shooting section was well received by the community as according to them, it was unusual for their photo to be capture.
AS IF
AS IF HOME
Single Channel Video Installation, 1:15 min
As If Home was shot at a constuction site, whereby the Bangladeshi workers are most seen there. The loop video installation placed in a glass table, depicted the trapped situation of the migrants workers whom were usually exploit as cheap labor here. The irony is that many of them left their home to build another houses for others here.
AS IF AS IF?
interactive video installation
As if? is an interactive video installation triggered by the viewer’s presence. The projection will display the live view of the audience delay within a few seconds while they are sitting at the sofa.
AS IF TECHNICAL STATEMENT
As if Hope/ Home explores the presence of the migrants. A large 90'' TV (As if Hope) and a LED Monitor (As if Home) are set to house the video installations. Both footages were capture with a Nikon D7000, while the post production was done in Adobe Premier Pro CS5 and Adobe Photoshop CS5. As if? uses a closed-circuit video installation to allow the viewer to explore questions of identity and perception. Two webcams are installedone to detect the presence of the audience while the other to record it. Using Video Trigger, a free standalone motion detector application designed by Zach Poff, the presence of the audience in front of the LED Monitor that houses As if Home video installation will trigger the other webcam to record their presence. VDMX and MadMapper are used to control the output of the projection while AppleScript Editor are used to exchange the data between Video Trigger, VDMX and MadMapper. By using the ďŹ lter in VDMX, the viewer are able to see their own presence distorted in real time and a few seconds time-delay while experiencing the migrant's presence in the other two video installation.
As If___ installation at 32 DPI Exhibition