IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO

  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
  • IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA DRUM SOLO
 

 

IN A GADDA DA VIDA Drum Solo with

SCANOGRAPH

in a gadda da vida
For this photograph, I had an intellectual preparation period of almost two years. My starting point was Synesthesia.

Synesthesia can be described briefly as: interaction in the perception of senses which causes them to blend as a result. FOR EXAMPLE; SEEING SOUND AS COLOR, OR HEARING COLOR AS SOUND
(*Nazan Ipsiroglu THE EFFECT OF MUSIC IN PAINTING).

All my works took form on the idea of how I can see sound as color. As soon as sound got involved, it became clear how important the time process was. With my MOVEMENT exhibition in 1995, I had brought a different interpretation in approaching photography as a depiction of the moment. The method I used in "Movement" made me feel relieved

In using time while taking pictures, I developed my studies on synesthesia in this direction.

In this type of project, instead of using multiple musical instruments, I found it easier choosing one instrument as a start. The instrument I have chosen was the DRUMS.

Following the intellectual preparation phase, I acquired the materials I would use.  For the audio track (piece of music), I took a section from IRON BUTTERFLY ’s 17-minute song called “IN-A-GADDA-DA VIDA” and recorded it on tape. The drummer, who is a close friend, practiced on that recording for quite a long time and told me that I could use two of the alto drum sections for my photo-shooting.

I had two transparent hoses of 5 meters each prepared and fixed them with a “T” connection. Later I attached another transparent hose at the “T” outlet and put a tap on the end. I placed and fixed two green and red 100-watt spots inside plastic black vases. Choosing the colors green and red was to get the color yellow as well. I had a black cloth for background of about 5-6 square meters prepared.

 I removed the transparent parts under the alto drums, as well as the other parts on the top. I later connected the lower transparent parts to the upper part of the altos.

I found a hall in Hacettepe University Beytepe campus with a water connection and a floor drain.

We created a dark environment by isolating all the windows of this hall, with the help of 5 friends. After the setting got black, I put the slide film into my camera.

I used 100 ASA - 200 ASA - 400 ASA films for this shooting, and kept the film speed ring on 1600 ASA at all times. Although I did Push Process, I chose this method to solve the exposure problem caused by the film rolling in the camera. After taking the photographs, I had the films developed on their original "ASA" ratings.

I lit the 100-watt spots in the dark and kept running water through the water hoses to the upper part of the alto drums. There is a small height on the tops of the altos; thanks to this high spot, the water remained on them. I used packing to prevent water leaking from the edge of the altos.

We played the piece that we have recorded before at high volume. The reason for this was to concentrate and feel the music with the drummer during the photo shoot.

When the drummer hit the drumsticks on the altos, thanks to the vibration of the transparent upper parts, water started splashing upwards and the spotlights colored the splashing water.

When the height of the water changed due to the drumsticks as they descended on the altos with different hard hits depending on the notes, the ‘color part’ of the piece was achieved.

In order for the water to remain on the altos continuously, the water tap was left open at a certain flow rate. Water kept pouring over the alto drums until the photo shoot was over. All that remained was to capture that vision with a camera over a period of time.

The dimensions of this photograph (slide-dia) is 2,4cm * 64cm. There are so many complications to print   this photograph. First of all, it is hard to get out of the scanner in one piece. My wish is a single photograph that is 2 meters wide and 30 meters tall. But unfortunately, there are a lot of problems in this regard as well.

With kind regards,

S. Ugur Okcu