Deus Digitalis
An audiovisual installation

Visuals

The animation is made in Flash (old school flash based on an animation by Jared ‘Levitated’ Tarbell from 2001). Inspiration was also triggered by visiting the Cathedral in Köln (Germany) with the recent glass window by the German contemporary painter Gerhard Richter. The screen is filled with dancing human figures. In a style that reminds us of early ’80 computer games. These are symmetrically arranged in groups of 25 people in different colors. The colors are simply the default colors you can find in almost any graphical program. These do very well in simulating the "typical" gothic colors of glass windows.

Music

The music consists of a 23 minute looped soundscape situated in a very low frequency range. This is the result of a complex manipulation via software of a self composed baroque fugue for a chorus. It could be interpreted as a group of giants singing in slowmotion with a endless breath like they are frozen in time. A layer of crackling sounds appears and disappears and triggers the visuals.

Creation and try-out

This work was created for the concert hall of the Orpheus Institute in Ghent on November 12, 2009. The work is meant to be adapted to the specific architectual characteristics of any location in situ.

Technical rider

A powerful laptop, a projector or big digital screen.
A professional powerfull audio system with 4 speakers (placed in a square), a small mixer (with Low, Mid, High Eq), a Cd player. Preferably a space without reverberation.

Hans Verhaegen & Jean Delouvroy
Animation & Music

Jean Delouvroy and Hans Verhaegen started there collaboration with the audiovisual installation ‘Deus Digitalis’ (2009). Deus Digitalis' was first integrated in the characteristic context of the Orpheus Institute's concert hall in Ghent (B). The basic elements consist of computer-steered animation of the recognizable distinctive human pattern by Hans Verhaegen and the inventive composed sound layers by Jean Delouvroy. In 2010 Deus Digitalis was exhibited for 'Small World Fair' at Metal in Southend (UK).
Preview Deus Digitalis

Hans Verhaegen

Hans Verhaegen (°1966, Ghent) studied graphical arts at the Royal Academy of Ghent (KASK) and Art History at the Free University of Brussels (VUB). Since 1994 he is invited regularly for group and solo exhibitions. His earlier work consists of figurative oil paintings, drawings, wall paintings and miniature collages but also posters, postcards, book covers and frontpages of imaginary magazines. Hans Verhaegen's work is furthermore characterized by a number of eye-catching installations such as 'Ronker' (1996), 'De Zeyp' (1997), 'Atelier 255' (1999) and 'The Milky Way' (2000).

The surprising '128 people' (2003) was the first of a recent series of digital animations. All animations are inhabited by the same icon-like, human figures. Man is the central topic, but is also the result of assembling parts in a computer program. Earlier this year he won with '128 people' the award of the public at the Fotomuseum in Antwerpen. Hans Verhaegen lives and works in Brussels.

Contact: hans(at)hansup(dot)be - www.hansverhaegen.be

Jean Delouvroy

Jean Delouvroy (°1967, Belgium) studied at the Royal Music Conservatory in Ghent (harmony, counterpoint, analysis, project contemporary music, jazz arranging & composition, electric guitar).
In 1988 he won the national jazz composing and arranging contest (Belgian Artistic Promotion Sabam). Afterwards he worked as arranger for the Belgian Radio Television Big Band, where also his interest in contemporary music was stimulated. Furthermore he makes use of electronics. He creates soundscapes by recycling his own acoustic material, mainly in cooperation with other art disciplines. He lives and works in Brussels.

Jean Delouvroy is a composer with a wide spectrum: contemporary classic music; drama, film & contemporary dance music; experimental electronics and soundscapes. He composed e.g.: Dark Room (2001) for the exhibition ‘Ici et maintenant’ (Thurn & Taxis, Brussels), the octofonic soundscape Buiten Beschouwd (2002) for an exhibition at the Flemish Opera Ghent, touch.same places (2002) for the choreographer Radek Hewelt, Stringquartet Nr. 1 (2003), the piano solo works Void Man (2005), Eisberge (2006) and Icarus’ Equilibrium (2008), the audiovisual live performance Teufelsberg (2004, Audiovisiva Milan/Filmfestival Milan) and an audiovisual installation for electronics and 12 projectors Der Regenbaum (2006, the 11, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam).

For the soundtrack of the short film Sound Miniature #1 he won the Leo award at the Braunschweig Filmfestival 2004.

Contact: jean(at)jeandelouvroy(dot)com - www.jeandelouvroy.com

Deus Digitalis An audiovisual installation