Mike Hall Video

documentation of fine art works, performance, and critical historic events of the third millennium

works

A portfolio of video productions, visual imagery and writings that challenge convention and explore alternative forms of perception

contact

documentation of fine art works, performance, and critical historic events of the third millennium.

Edge Case   In software engineering parlance, an “edge case” is any situation that is so remote that it only exists on the edge of possibility. Sometimes edge cases require more attention than other more common situations because a system designed for the center can crash when applied to the edge. On the other hand, the expression can also be used in the course of a design discussion to describe the insignificance of an expected contingency; the implication being that anything that exists on the edges can be brushed aside. This video was captured during the inaugural feedback session conducted at Studio II in Allston, Mass. Two projection feedback setups were positioned side by side, so that only their extreme edges were connected, allowing imagery created on one side to jump to the other. This video has no sound.  (more) Optical Resonance Theory  an introduction Optical resonance occurs when a live image of a physical surface is continually superimposed upon itself. This causes an exaggeration of all prominent visual features of the projection surface. Optical resonance can be triggered through slight imbalances in a video frame’s level of luminance or chroma. “Illuminant resonance” begins on any rounded surface that can provide a focused spot of reflected light. “Chromatic resonance” occurs when there is a close similarity between the color received by the lens and the color that is cast upon the subject by the video projector. You may be tested on this one day, so pay attention.  (more) this really happened  a study in conventional video feedback By connecting a video camera to a large LCD television and aiming the camera almost directly at the center of the screen, patterns emerge that to some extent can be shaped and molded with the hands. This is due to a tendency for the video stream to achieve equilibrium of overall brightness when the camera´s auto-exposure feature is enabled. The color variations were brought about by maximizing the color saturation and balance controls on the television screen. When the highest level of stability has been achieved, a gelatinous entity takes form, which exhibits life-like qualities. The colors that undulate over what appears to be a three-dimensional surface shimmer as if composed of some liquid substance.  (more) Pattern Formation Syndrome  on the recombinant behavior of disparate video electronic devices This sequence shows how two distinctly separate pieces of video electronics equipment can be combined to produce a result that is remarkably lifelike. It is theoretically possible for "edge-enhancing" algorithms commonly found in both video cameras and video projectors to combine forces to create stable patterns when connected together to produce a video feedback sequence. What was not expected was that the behavior of the worm-like shapes that are generated would actually be worm-like. No software was written to generate this video, and except for some minor jostling of the camera, there was no input from the environment whatsoever. In other words, once the equipment was adjusted to create a stable feedback pattern, the newly created system was allowed to run its course.  (more) Unmarked Package  a case for feeling insecure Over a weekend in May 2007, the Institute for Infinitely Small Things set out to research insecurity in Chicago´s public spaces. They ceremoniously carried over a hundred white packages (each marked "UNMARKED PACKAGE") to different locations in Chicago and set them up in various locations to poll the public about security and fear. The reactions tended to reflect the area where the questions were asked; for example, urban respondents cited crime rather than terrorism as being a primary concern. Most residents of the city expressed a greater suspicion of strangers overall since 9/11.  (more) Inertia  an urban manifestation The streets of New York City are never calm, but during the final days of August in 2004, there was an unrest of such proportions that, at times, traffic was stalled by masses of people who took to the street without obtaining permits to march. On August 30th, one day before the widely anticipated events of "A31" which would result in 1200 arrests throughout the city, a march beginning at the United Nations and ending at Madison Square Garden was inexplicably sanctioned by the police, even though it was one of the largest acts of civil disobedience that had ever occurred in the city. My camera was placed on a stone wall as they passed.   (more)