TAKOTSUBO
a sound and video multichannel installation
Takotsubo speaks about the intricacies of the human heart and its dysfunctions. It is a multichannel sound and video installation, combining medical data, custom made bronze speakers, video, and contemporary dance. Drawing from the documented cardiological phenomenon of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, commonly known as "the broken heart syndrome", the project bridges the realms of objective biology and subjective emotional experience.
The focal point of my exploration deals with the obsessive element intrinsic to the experience of pain, especially emotional distress.
The inspiration came from a personal experience with the Takotsubo syndrome which made me reflect on the outcomes of intense emotional suffering, my own and other people's. In some instances, the experience of suffering or pain can be beneficial, can make a person more empathic. In others, the pain becomes all-encompassing, blurring the lines between reality and perception, and even alienating us from our social selves and physical beings.
The installation itself is a carefully designed structure, featuring two distinct components: bronze plates and mirrors. The juxtaposition of these elements symbolizes the duality of reality - the tangible, biological aspect and the ethereal, emotional dimension. The bronze plates, numbering around 100, vary in size and are embedded with transducers. These transducers transform the bronze plates into speakers which play sounds derived from processed medical data from diverse human hearts. Additionally, fragments of bronze foil interact with the speaker plates, creating a complementary "melody" indirectly influenced by the data.
The visual narrative, a single character trapped into a loop of movements, unravels as a representation of self-perception, progressively distorted by an immersion into a single, pain-forged perspective.
On the opposing side of the structure stands a triptych mirror, serving as a reflective surface for video projections. From the mirror, the video is reflected into the opposite wall, where the audience is sited, and from the wall the image reflects in the mirror again. This technique of multiplying the reflection of the filmed image has a double role: it engulfs the viewers into one cinematic space and mirrors their emotional response.
This juxtaposition highlights the contrast between reactions to the external world and a retreat into one's innermost self. It speaks to the profound transformation brought about by painful emotions and depicts the struggle between engaging with the world and retreating into one's own internal landscape.
The Sound: multichannel, 60 minutes loop
The sound composition, which is at the heart of the installation, is derived from the processing of medical numerical data gathered from 100 individuals over the course of one hour. The data was collected using a Holter device. This device measures the electrical signals of the heart from several positions on the body, for several hours. The resulting sonic landscape is a microcosm, mirroring the interconnections of life's intricate systems.
Within the installation, each bronze element carries the unique resonance of an individual's heartbeat. The data is sonically manipulated at the same tempo as its original recording, yielding a dynamic, ever-evolving sound work. This composition, born from the infinite variability and perpetual motion of our biological forms, endeavours to synthesize these myriad heartbeats into a seamless, hour-long work.
Augmenting the main installation, additional bronze foils resonate, embodying the emotional facet of this journey. These foils encapsulate the subjective, human, and instinctual interpretations of the numerical sequences.
The Video: loop, 30 to 45 minutes
The video of the installation takes its inspiration from the tale of Narcissus, a character tragically ensnared by the allure of his own reflection, ultimately leading to a broken heart.
This video projection portrays a figure seated, fixated on their own reflection in a mirror. The loop embarks from a near stillness, gradually unfurling into a series of movements that evolve in complexity, continuously introducing new elements. While these motions appear to build upon each other, they are systematically disrupted, rendering them disjointed, until they exist as mere echoes of their former selves.
The residual gestures are inspired by gestures of individuals afflicted by a condition once termed as schizophrenic catatonia. In this state, affected individuals exhibit minimal movement, their gestures being detached from immediate external reality.
I have embarked on a collaboration with choreographers and dancers who help me create these movements and images. Together we are working on how to translate these topics and data in movements, and how to transmit these to the video.
Through this visual exploration, the project highlights the interplay between perception, introspection, and the profound impact of emotional pain on one's sense of self.
In essence, "Takotsubo" is a multi-sensory installation that invites viewers to contemplate the intricate interplay between medical science, emotional experience, and self-perception, all while paying homage to the enduring legacy of Narcissus. Through this immersive experience, participants are encouraged to reflect on the profound implications of pain, both in its physiological and emotional manifestation.
