Ombea
4 speakers, 4 light sources and 2 cameras are placed within a space which is at least partially isolated from light and sound coming from outdoors and is provided with a lockable entrance; a computer is located outside the ombea space with max/msp/jitter patch which serves to direct the space reaction.
Ombea is a way of the space to express itself.
Ombea reacts to movement of a visitor within the space depending on: [movement = dark + noise] or [calm = light + silence] and that reaction takes place on various levels depending on the history of behavior of a visitor.
Visitor (or visitors) is „locked“ inside the ombea for 8 minutes the element of time being, therefore, also important part of Ombea but anyone can leave sooner or later as he wants.
"Ombea is what Russian conceptual artist Ilya Kabakov calls a total installation, a designed experience. We can’t use here Kaprow’s term environment because pash* isn’t surrounding visitor by no intentional means. On the contrary pash* is not even closing the visitors in a room, he is just putting away the outer world; introducing them to the Construct - blank virtual reality, a zero space.
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Ombea is an interactive installation, consisting of an empty room with 4 speakers, 4 light sources and 2 cameras, which are placed within a space which is at least partially isolated from light and sound coming from outdoors, provided with a lockable entrance; a computer is located outside the Ombea space with max/msp/jitter patch which serves to direct the space reaction. Ombea reacts to movement of a visitor within the space depending on: [movement = dark + noise] or [calm = light + silence] and that reaction takes place on various levels depending on the history and behavior of a visitor and their position in the space. Common time spent inside is at least 8 minutes. Visitors leaving Ombea are asked to write down an e-mail address with promise of sending them a black-and-white diagram, named by pash* as protocol, depicting their behaviours."
(taken from review "Moving Sounds of Ombea" by Palo Fabuš for Furtherfield.org)
Pash*: My goal was to bring visitor into situation where the most important thing is being physical right in the certain space right now and to give the visitor or visitors the freedom to take it as a chance for meditation or aggressive expression with no damage to others or the space around. There is no right or correct way how to behave or act in Ombea.
more at: http://www.ombea.net