in concrete      
       
richard garet’s fascination with sensorial responses and his exploration of concrete subjects are clearly depicted in these two audiovisual works: electrochroma and inner-outer, both focused on light as the main theme for creation and as their perceptual objective. garet reflects on the richness of objectifying the ordinary, considering that those things that we tend to become more accustomed to living with are the very things that we take for granted the most and therefore go unnoticed. consequently, the mundane recedes into the background layers of life without resistance. instances like sunlight bathing ocean water, electrical current powering illumination and its extended applications to functional utilities, or the light bulb of a 16mm film projector, are singled out and depicted as the subject of his focus. in both works the artist approached the subject by capturing it, rendering it, and deconstructing it in order to explore its parts and mystify light. moreover, he is proposing activation of phenomena in the viewers through free associations that range from absurd simplicity to complex outcomes exposing the poetics of processed material. such external encounters incline the spectators towards their own internalized experience for meaning, rendering the viewers and their experience the sole protagonists of the work. sound also plays an important part in both pieces. in garet’s work sound has been playing a significant role since he started working with it in the ’80s. after an extensive development over years of exploring many approaches to working with sound, garet currently focuses on creating processes that interact with, and activate, sonic material, as well as on the nuances of listening and the articulation of sound in space. what we hear in these works encompasses techniques such as: sonification of light, electromagnetic exploration, treated tape and audio cassettes, cracked media, sonification of data, information noise, and computer processing.   ______________________________  
   
  online project: ce.onl_0025
  artist: richard garet
  title: in concrete
  year: 2018
  format: online screening
   
   
   
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electrochroma--
online screening
--play: video
     
       

is a 58'30” audiovisual work that emerged from the manipulation of light to generate imagery as well as using a combination of extended techniques applied to sonic-material sources, including translation of image to sound to create the 5.1 surround audio composition. the work utilizes various analog and digital procedures and a variety of software processes to manipulate the moving image and sound. the work's imagery ranges from dark to light monochromatic spheres, shifting dynamics and intensity, including flickering and pulsating patterns, retinal impact, and sensory overloads. the sound composition focuses on timbre, low ends, modulated frequencies, textures, static noises, and electronic sounds moving through space. other sonic layers were created through the use of electromagnetism, custom electronic sounds, and voices scored for the work and performed in a recording studio by artist marylea martha quintana.

electrochroma requires a physical space with the projecting wall, the side and back walls, and the floor covered with flat black paint. surround sound envelops the space in a seamless manner and visitors are welcome to enter and exit this immersive environment as they please.

for this work, richard garet began with 16mm celluloid that he directly intervened by hand to shape the light emitted from the film projector. various takes of the footage were performed, digitized, and a further system was established where these images could be played and processed in real time with a computer. garet also rendered and processed the projected light as an audio signal integrating it as an additional layer in the sonic mix.

this work was premiered at the crossing the line festival organized by the french institute alliance française (fiaf) in partnership with the invisible dog art center. it was presented at september 25–november 28, 2010.

special thanks to marylea martha quintana for producing such wonderful vocal sounds consequently adding unique richness and color with her voice to this work.

special thanks to lucien zayan and the invisible dog for the wonderful support and exhibition opportunity.

dedicated to the memory of maryanne amacher 1938-2009. maryanne's valuable feedback during the creation of this work was crucial for making significant choices that helped the piece reach its completion.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
       
       
       
       
       
       
         
  richard garet      
  electrochroma      
  58’30”      
  digital video      
  stereo version from 5.1 surround      
  edition of 3 + one a/p      
  2007-10      
         
         
         
         
     
     
  inner-outer--
online screening
--play: video
     
         
 

is an audiovisual piece composed with processed video recordings of sunlight bathing the ocean tide. the sound composition in the piece was created from audiocassettes eroded underwater to accelerate the decomposition of the material.

on may 15, 2009 the emf, electronic music foundation, with the curatorial vision of suzanne thorpe, presented a series of space interventions as a group exhibition in the lightship frying pan, located at pier 66 maritime, in new york city. the group exhibition “sounds in the frying pan” consisted of site-specific installations that were multimedia, but focused primarily on sound. all artists were assigned unique and discrete environments inside the ship to develop their projects. richard garet’s inner-outter was created for the frying pan and formatted as a single video channel projection with 16 channels of sonic output.

garet focused on the synergy of wearing-down, disorienting movement, sunlight touch, and the most obvious qualities of the context as the driving force to select material and to establish such processes in the work itself. to capture the imagery he used an early generation inexpensive single chip dv-tape digital camera. garet pushed the camera lens to capture under optical distress the direct sunlight hitting the water obtaining high-contrast and saturated takes. consequently, the imagery was washed out to black and white, further highlighting the contrasted reflections of light bouncing back. the sound composition in the work was created translating such properties of erosion and decay in the ship to a sonic medium that could be physically malleable. garet focused on audiocassettes, which due to their ephemeral qualities are susceptible to such a rigorous processes as he sought unexpected, yet rich-textural, sonic results. the combination of the moving image with the sound composition created an audiovisual piece that enveloped visitors in a disorienting, sensorial, physical and psychoacoustic-responsive environment. as a result, visitors found themselves in an environment of 16 channels of sound looking at a screen with disparate motion, all while standing in an environment with motion of its own.

     
       
         
  richard garet      
  inner-outer      
  48'54"      
  digital video      
  stereo      
  edition of 3 + one a/p      
  2009