Proximity Effect, 2025
Two-channel HD video, directional sound
14:58 minutes
“Proximity effect” combines an enquiry into the form, function of durational performance, sound and moving image. The work frames an actor prompted to perform 'laughter' as a 15 minute extended act. The singular act of laughter becomes quite jarring as we see the actor losing their ability to perform. As the actor laughs, a microphone recording their voice is slowly pulled back and forth. The work attempts to translate the sonic phenomenon of 'Proximity Effect', where the closer a sound source is to a microphone, the more pronounced the sound becomes, and vice versa. The work extends beyond the technical aspect, addressing proximity within the relationship between the microphone, the camera, the audience, and the viewing experience itself. Both the experience of laughter and silence is exaggerated as the distance between the actor and the mic becomes mediated. Through a phenomenological inquiry, the work probes themes of sympathy, distance, and power dynamics at play.