4Hands by Bertrand Merlier & Jean-Marc Duchenne

8th Nov 2002, Festspielhaus Hellerau, Dresden, CYNETart-Festival

http://tc2.free.fr/4hands/4hands3e.htm

4Hands is a multimedia instrumental duet, an interactive performance investigating the sensitive world and the stimulating relations between technology, gesture, sound, and image. With one exception: no instruments are visible. The hands of the performers are at the centre, they are lighted intentionally, seeking the attention of the audience. Two monitors in the background show the artists' magnified hands. Their bodies are not of interest and only act as two marionettes telling allegorical stories thus vivifying sound and images.
Four hands spin, caress, knock, scratch, stretch, describe complex arabesques, and intriguing figures in a camera field of a square meter. The gestures of the performers obviously control images and sounds: one of the artists produces electro-acoustic music which is transferred to two speakers. The other artist operates the video projection on the big screen between the two monitors in the background. 4Hands plays different media for five voices: sound, images, the hands shown on the monitors and their shadows on the ceiling. Both artists use the same means: a camera and the EyeCon software for motion tracking.
In this comparatively new situation, the gestures of the performers are turned into visible sound and readable image. The electro-musical duet and the video projection completely change the habit and relation between sound and image. The "Lutheran virtuality" also raises many questions that, on their part, all allow an open point of view. However, beyond technology and machinery, the most important thing to remain is that the audience of 4Hands can experience an impressive, sensitive, and even sensual universe.

Many thanks to Frieder Weiß for his software EyeCon and for his precious help. Supported by Institut francais de Dresde, as well as producer and manager Thélème Contemporain

European Culture 2000 project in collaboration with Trans-Media-Akademie Hellerau, Ars Electronica Center Linz & V2_Organisation Rotterdam.