Layered histories: the wandering bible of Marseilles

ABSTRACT

The artists developed an interactive work based on the imaginary story of an actual 13th century illuminated Bible, investigating the many levels of meaning of the Manuscript: as a beautiful artifact, as a work of art reflecting the convergence of cultures in medieval Spain, and as a text which tells stories which themselves are layered in meanings. Transforming their own photographs and sound samples with digital media, the creative process challenged the artists to incorporate traditional Jewish cultural motifs in a work intended to appeal to contemporary general audiences. Juxtaposition, reinterpretation, and hybrid formats as artistic approach parallel the essential nature of Jewish culture, as well that of other historically nomadic peoples.

REFERENCES

• 1: Puckette, M., and D. Zicarelli. MAX - An Interactive Graphic Programming Environment, Opcode Systems, Menlo Park, California, 1990.
• 2: Rubin, Cynthia Beth and VIDEOCHRONIQUES , les affinities recouvres, 1994; SIGGRAPH Video Review Issue 113, 1995
• 3: Rubin, Cynthia Beth, Inherited Memories 1997 SIGGRAPH Video Review Issue 121, 1997
• 4: Gluck, Robert, Stories Heard And Retold EMF Media, 1998
• 5: For a descripton of Rubin's earlier work, see Avrin, Leila "Traditional Modernists," Hadassah Magazine August/September 1990, 62--64
• 6: Kristeva, Julia Etrangers ࣅ nous-mêmes, Gallimard, Paris, 1988
• 7: Hofmann, Hans. The Search for the Real in the Visual Arts. MIT Press, Cambridge MA1983
• 8: For a list of works by Paul Sharits (1943- 1993), see Canyon Cinema http://www.canyoncinema.com/S/SharitsP.html
• 9: For a list of works by Bill Seaman. see http://digitalmedia.risd.edu/billseaman
• 10: Todd Winkler, Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1998
• 11: for a list of works by Puppetsweat Theater, see http://www.wesleyan.edu/azdaksgarden/puppetsweat/Syneocism.HTM
• 12: Machover, Tod Technology and Creative Expression. http://lethe.media.mit.edu/Archive/Hyperinstruments/creative.html 1995
• 13: Gluck, Robert Sounds of a Community: An Interactive Sound Installation, Proceedings of the International Computer Music Association, 2004 (forthcoming).
• 14: Kaplan, Mordecai M., Judaism as a Civilization (1934), Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, PA 1994.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  J. Computer Applications
  J.5 ARTS AND HUMANITIES
      Subjects: Fine arts

Additional Classification:
  J. Computer Applications
  J.5 ARTS AND HUMANITIES
      Subjects: Language translation; Linguistics

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Documentation, Experimentation, Languages

Keywords:
Columbia, Max/ MSP/Jitter, arts, electroacoustic interactivity, installation, media, morph, new media, sound, text