In the project 'Serenade of the Woods,' drawing from a fine art background, Lee endeavours to meld the aesthetics of nature with contemporary technology. This initiative stems from a desire to discover if the use of technology, particularly AI and machine learning, can extend beyond mere data and statistics to evoke intrinsic poetics and spirituality, resonating with the essence of being human.

In this age where technology is a constant presence in our lives and moulds our world experiences, Lee maintains that the core of algorithms is fundamentally neutral. These digital structures can be utilized to deepen our understanding of the environment as a complex, interconnected organism and expose the elegance of randomness and spontaneity.

Central to 'Serenade of the Woods' is the innovative use of algorithmic precision to interrogate and potentially reconcile the apparent divide between technology and nature. This approach is influenced by the Qi Wu theory of uniformity from Chuang Tzu's teachings. The technical backbone of this project is an algorithm specifically designed with a variation of music scales. This includes the modes of limited transposition by the French composer Olivier Messiaen, which were originally inspired by bird songs. The algorithm is programmed to analyze the movements of plants from video recordings and, from these observations, compose music. Each plant's motion in the breeze is thus translated into a unique musical score. These scales, coupled with Messiaen's influence, enable the algorithm to process the natural movements captured in everyday life, translating them into a symphony orchestrated by nature. Each plant is associated with a musical instrument that reflects its synesthetic qualities. The project culminates in a live performance and an audiovisual installation, where these algorithmically composed scores, nature's own melodies, are performed by human musicians.

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Credits:

Project Director: Lisa Chang Lee

Concept, Filming & Video Editing: Lisa Chang Lee

Video and Audio Programming: James Wilkie

Flutist: Rossana Ter-Berg

Cellist: Francesca Ter-Berg

Multi-Percussionist: Beibei Wang(live-performance)

Project Assistant: Liu Qingqing, Jules Gulon