I have decided to incorporate my Sonokinetic Arduino gloves to complement the programmable LED strips in The Ring. This marks an initial step toward a broader interactive audio-visual installation.

The Ring explores the convergence of audience and artist roles within club culture through sonic and visual mediums. It examines how the commercialization of DJ culture and the rise of social media impact immersive experiences in nightclubs, where the focus often shifts from artistry to consumerism. The installation also considers whether the constant evolution of digital technologies might provide an alternative solution through the creation of hybrid art forms.

The piece aims to democratize and decolonize club spaces by encouraging direct audience participation, disrupting the traditional dynamic where the DJ serves as the central focus while the crowd remains passive. Instead, The Ring invites attendees to actively engage, turning them into co-creators of the experience.

Drawing on Haraway’s (Haraway, 2016) cyborgian narrative, The Ring integrates the communal aspects of a club night, affective immersion, and the blurring of boundaries between artist, artwork, and audience. It creates a semi-virtual space where sonic, visual, and social elements converge into a hybrid form, challenging conventional distinctions and offering a reimagined experience of club culture.

Bibliography:

Donna Jeanne Haraway (2016). Manifestly Haraway. University of Minnesota Press.