FOREST
"The developing
brain is like a forest
within which many
different creatures
grow, in conflict and
in harmony"
The Mind Forest has fifteen hooded "trees" for people to speak and sing into, each unique (try them all!) and offering a private experience to one person
at a time. In the Singing Trees, wearing headphones to ensure
maximum sound isolation, the individual sings a single note.
The computer rewards a well-held, perfectly calm note
with a beautiful aura, promoting a mood of concentration
and meditation; a less-well-held note creates a more
"agitated" musical response. In the Speaking Trees,
audience members enter into conversation with
Marvin Minsky and record personal memories and opinions,
as well as thoughts about music and the mind.
Each tree can record the audience member's voice, which is
automatically edited, selected and processed, and then
incorporated into each Brain Opera Performance.
Pictures you can download:
[Forest Art]
[Computer rendition of the Mind Forest]
[Architectural design for individual tree units]
[Architectural sketch of the individual tree units]
[Earlier artistic design for the Forest of Speaking and Singing Trees]
Jump to the other experiences: rhythm tree , harmonic driving , gesture wall , melody easel .