Opening Reception: Nov. 12, Sunday 2:00PM

Musical Dot Orchestra —Interactive Harmonies

The exhibition starts on November 5, 2023 through to April 9, 2024. We will hold an Opening Reception on November 12, Sunday, 2:00PM.
“Musical Dot Orchestra —Interactive Harmonies“ challenges viewers to ponder the impact of technology on creativity, individuality, and community, inviting them to explore the intersection of art and technology. This inter-disciplinary artwork incorporates sound into a 2D watercolor painting. It is interactive in essence. Musical Dot Orchestra reimagines art by merging visual and auditory experiences through modern cellphone interactivity. This piece invites participants to engage the painting with dots that trigger the programmed musical notes. These four different colored dots are embedded within hand painted QR codes displayed side by side with the painting . The four dots respectively depict cello (blue), violin (yellow), contrabass (Magenta), and xylophone (purple), all across two octaves on a C-major scale. Using the smartphone to move the dots on their phone screens, the audience will see the dots appear in sync with the dots’ movement on the painting while creating a musical composition. Moore programs the painting canvas into a sound board, the notes from low on the bottom of the painting to high on the top of the painting. More than one audience can interact with each other in composing the music like an orchestra.

Inspired by Ivan Illich’s “Tools for Conviviality“, the artwork delves into the dichotomies of modern technology. It prompts contemplation on whether technology empowers or disempowers individuals and how it can either foster or hinder community harmony. Moore sets out to explore the challenges that are clearly multi-faceted:

• Static versus Interactive: Does the technology encourage individual creativity or stifle it?
• Human versus Industrial Aesthetic: How does the technology’s human-like quality impact the experience?
• Local Scale versus Infinite Scale: How would the interaction change if participants were not physically together and thousands of participants joined online?
• Freedom versus Limitation: Under Moore’s pre-programmed sound board one cannot possibly play “out-of-tune”; does the incapability to play “incorrect” note limit individual expression or help create group harmony?

Matt Moore is a Boxborough, MA based artist and technologist that creates interactive art. He studied sociology at Northeastern University and currently works professionally in healthcare tech to improve the treatment of patients. He also create artwork that strives to spark a sense of curiosity and playfulness from participants. Moore has exhibited his work at the Museum of Boulder, BLDG 61 and NoBo in Boulder, Colorado, Mosesian Center For the Arts in Watertown, MA and Burning Man in Reno, Nevada. His work can be seen at pindarlabs.com.