This presentation, researched and performed by Matthew Rogerson, took place during the IRCAM Forum Workshops in Paris in March 2024. Rogerson took an approach to showing the possible ‘insides’ of an autistic brain through neurofeedback, visuals and sound. Through an EEG, he picked up electric brain signals that were sent through Max which triggered those sounds and visuals. The project included aspects of generative electronic music, psychoacoustics, audio-reactive visuals and performance. He kind of was the human interface, creating this performance through his brain waves.
Flashing images, strong light flashes in a darker room, distorted sounds, white noise and high-pitched parts. Provocative was his intention. In the context of this performance, the demonstration reminded me of a swamped brain with too much information, unable to turn off. He told us that it should represent sensory overload, which is common in autism. He wanted to bring across a feeling of, and a representation of how an autistic person could possibly experience the world. Bits of speech were included, but the semantic qualities were put away in this project to show how an autistic person could perceive speech.
The delayed reaction from the brain signal to the output corresponded to the feeling he described, when going out of the house, every day it feels like entering a new country, which takes up way more processing power in the brain than things we are used to.
While performing, he tried to be as neutral and passive as possible, although he said a feedback loop was created. His reaction to the outcome, the flashing lights and provocative sounds, creates more chaos in his mind, which creates a more chaotic outcome. So the circle continues.
