The inspiration for The Ring began in an unexpected and somewhat serendipitous way. I came across a striking visual of an unknown installation while scrolling through social media. The image captured my imagination, and I immediately thought, “I’d like to replicate something like this.” What began as a visual exercise—a simple attempt to recreate the aesthetic appeal of the installation—soon evolved into a much more ambitious project. As I delved deeper, I realized the potential to expand the concept by incorporating sonic and interactive elements. These additions aligned with my broader interest in creating immersive, multisensory experiences.
The idea began to take form after a shift in priorities around a separate commissioned piece I was working on at the time. Suddenly free to explore my own creative directions, I decided to use this opportunity to build upon the initial inspiration. What started as a purely visual experiment grew into an exploration of audience interaction, embodiment, and the integration of sound and motion.
In September, my friend Matteo Chiarenza Santini approached me with an intriguing request. Matteo was collaborating on a live performance for FKA Twigs and had been tasked with sourcing a pair of simple, interactive motion-tracking gloves for the performance. He reached out to me, asking if I could create a prototype that would meet the technical requirements.
Excited by the challenge, I began working on the gloves. Using my experience with Arduino and similar technologies, I designed a simplified version of an earlier prototype. The gloves featured BNO055 IMU sensors for precise motion tracking and ESP32 microcontrollers for data collection and Wi-Fi transmission. Each glove was capable of sending raw x, y, z axis motion data to a Teensy board, which interfaced with Max For Live, enabling users to control parameters in real-time. Additionally, the gloves supported direct MIDI communication, making them compatible with Ableton Live and other DAWs.
Although the gloves were completed, they were ultimately not used in FKA Twigs’ performance. Initially, this was disappointing. However, the experience of building the gloves and the creative potential they represented sparked a new wave of ideas for me. What if these gloves became the foundation for the interactive installation I had been contemplating? The thought of integrating motion-tracking gloves into an installation seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore the interplay between movement, sound, and interactivity on a deeper level.
This unexpected twist marked a turning point in the development of The Ring. The gloves became the starting point for an installation that not only reflected my fascination with visual aesthetics but also pushed me to explore how movement could shape soundscapes and create immersive environments. What began as a technical experiment transformed into a project driven by the potential to blur boundaries between performer, audience, and artwork.
