Bête 1999

Interactive video, sound and computer sculpture

Bête is an interactive sound and video sculpture that explores the relationship between human, animal and fear. The area of the human brain that processes fear is the amygdala. The amygdala is considered by neuroscience to be a "primitive" part of the brain that has not changed considerably through evolution. It functions similarly in animals and in humans. The amygdala brings about an immediate response to stimulus bypassing higher brain functions. This has been necessary for survival; the time to process "fight or flee" responses is considerable if fear stimuli were to considered by the cerebral cortex. Thus animals and humans react similarly to immediate threat.

The work is a cage containing a video monitor that sits on a pedestal at the back of a darkened space. Filling this space is the sound of birds. As the viewer approaches the piece he/she sees him/herself as an amorphous blur glowing on a screen located in a locked cage. When the viewer first speaks to the piece a voice responds by saying, "How are you today?" in a paternal tone. This is the sound of a parrot trainer teaching a bird to speak. As the viewer speaks to the piece the software algorithm evaluates the pitch, volume and duration of their voice. If the viewer yells at the piece and continues to do this over a period of time Bête will respond by growling. At first the growl is the short angry "yeow" of a cat. However, if the viewer continues "frightening" the animal the growl lengthens and becomes layered with the sound of multiple animal growls.

In addition to the growl response of the animal the screen flickers from translucent to clear. The flickering reveals the viewer to him/herself with eyes glowing like an animal in headlights at night. If other viewers are present their glowing eyes are all that are seen in the background. If the viewer continues to sustain speaking loudly to the piece the growl will dissipate and voice commanding "No!" will respond. The trainer returns to scold the viewer/animal. If additional viewers interact with the piece while it is in a frightened state the piece will respond according to the state in which it last reached. It will continue to become more frightened if the viewer speaks loudly to it. When the piece is left alone for a period of time its fear will slowly reduce and the sound of birds will return. The work is designed to create a feedback mechanism between animal and human thought.

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