Somewhere between a Victorian illusion, a performance of electronic music and a scientific demonstration, Force Field is an exploration of invisible forces made tangible, audible and physical.

By interacting with the electro-magnetic "force field" that surrounds the theremin (the instrument you play without touching), Lee activates and controls a series of kinetic sound machines creating music and movement from the ether. Force Field utilizes the digital information generated by playing the Moog Ethervox MIDI theremin. This MIDI information, consisting of note on/ note off and MIDI note values is converted by a MIDI relay driver (MIDI Tools 64 outputrelay driver) and used to switch on and off a series of electro-mechanical devices. The principle of Force Field is that the theremin is used to control analog electro-mechanical devices. During the performance Lee initially demonstrates to the audience the operation of the MIDI theremin and the resulting hands-free control of the series of sculptural sound machines. He then builds a complex aural and visual texture without touching either the theremin or the devices, becoming in effect an electro-magnetic conductor of his series of sound machines.

Supported by: Oxford Brookes University, Arts Council
of England, ICA, London