U Leave Me Breathless
Friday, September 7, 2018
8 PM
Sun-Yat-Sen Square
(at the corner of Clark St. and De La Gauchetière St.)
artist
Grace An
curator
Thy Anne Chu Quang
Karaoke, meaning “empty orchestra,” originated in Japan. With the advent of the karaoke machine in 1971, the practice became widely democratized in the 1990s and spread across communities in Asia. Producing an experience that is both collective and intimate, impassioned voices are shared in enclosed spaces, in the form of karaoke rooms or family living rooms. On the evening of September 7, 2018, U Leave Me Breathless leaves these doors ajar, embedding karaoke within the public infrastructure¹ at Sun-Yat-Sen Square in Montreal’s Chinatown.²
U Leave Me Breathless (2018) is a digital installation introducing a downloaded 3D character inspired by the Vocaloid™ Hatsune Miku, developed by Crypton Future Media and Yamaha Corporation. Passersby enter a private box to sing their hearts out. Voices echoing in the square are accompanied by karaoke videos projected to the public, crafted by Grace An using found footage. Blue sky backgrounds with fluffy clouds recall classic karaoke tackiness. The 3D character dances in K-Pop style. She is the protagonist of all the videos, and the avatar of all anonymous singers.
An expands notions of community and anonymity in public spaces through her creative process. U Leave Me Breathless differs from her illustrated works released under the alias Sunshinable.³ An manipulates open-source digital characters and effects shared on forums and sites such as DeviantArt, which she orchestrates using free software and applications with the support of a team comprised of a programmer, translator, and friends.
Though some makers of materials asked not to be credited, An would like to acknowledge the many contributors of U Leave Me Breathless. In the 1970s, Daisuke Inoue left the karaoke machine unpatented, allowing for rapid commodification. Today, the labour of online communities creates products with many layers that belong to none and everyone.
Karaoke creates a performance space accessible to anyone with a voice. U Leave Me Breathless escapes the judgment and frustration⁴ often associated to public vocalization. The installation creates a context where the codes of participation do not revolve around singing in tune. Here, in the open air, dissonant voices are welcomed.
¹ Outside, George Michael. October 1998. https://youtu.be/gwZAYdHcDtU
² Chinese community loses cultural center, sounds alarm about gentrification, Dan Spector. September 2018. https://globalnews.ca/news/4423087/chinese-community-loses-cultural-center-sounds-alarm-about-gentrification
³ Sunshinable. http://aneunhae.com/about
⁴ Sinatra Song Often Strikes Deadly Chord, Norimitsu Onishi. February 2010. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/world/asia/07karaoke.html
Tu m'coupes le souffle
Le karaoké, qui signifie « orchestre vide », prend ses racines au Japon. Avec l'avènement de la machine à karaoké en 1971, la pratique se démocratise rapidement dans les années 90 et se répand à travers les communautés d’Asie. Créant une expérience à la fois collective et intime, les voix fougueuses se lient dans des espaces clos, prenant la forme de salles de karaoké ou de salons de famille. Dans la soirée du 7 septembre 2018, Tu m’coupes le souffle laisse les portes entrouvertes, et implante le karaoké dans l’infrastructure public¹, à la Place Sun-Yat-Sen dans le Quartier chinois de Montréal².
Tu m’coupes le souffle (2018) est une installation in situ numérique présentant un personnage 3D téléchargé et inspiré du Vocaloid™ Hatsune Miku, développé par Crypton Future Media et Yamaha Corporation. Les passantes entrent dans une box pour chanter de tout leur cœur. Les voix retentissant dans la place sont accompagnées par des vidéos de karaoké projetées pour le public, confectionnées par Grace An à partir d'images qu'elle a trouvées. Les arrière-plans au ciel bleu et nuages cotonneux rappellent le côté kitsch des vidéos de karaoké classiques. Le personnage 3D danse le K-Pop. Elle est la protagoniste de tous les vidéos, l’avatar de tous les chanteuses et chanteurs anonymes.
An essaime les notions de communauté et d’anonymat dans les espaces publics à travers son processus créatif. Tu m’coupes le souffle se distingue de ses travaux d’illustration publiés sous son pseudonyme Sunshinable³. An manipule des personnages et effets numériques open source partagés sur les forums et sites tels que DeviantArt, qu’elle orchestre en utilisant des logiciels et des applications gratuits avec le soutien d’une équipe composée d’une programmeuse, d’une traductrice et d’amis.
Certains ont demandé de ne pas être crédité, mais An souhaite reconnaître les nombreux contributrices et contributeurs de Tu m’coupes le souffle. Dans les années 70, Daisuke Inoue ne dépose pas de brevet sur la machine à karaoké qu’il a inventée, accélérant sa marchandisation. Le travail juxtaposé de nos jours des communautés en ligne produit des biens qui n’appartient à personne, mais qui appartient à toutes et à tous.
Le karaoké crée un espace de performance accessible à toute personne possédant une voix. Tu m’coupes le souffle échappe au jugement et à la frustration⁴ souvent associés à l’expression vocale. L’installation pose un contexte où la participation ne requiert pas de chanter juste. Ici, au grand air, les voix dissonantes sont les bienvenues.
¹ Outside, George Michael. Octobre 1998. https://youtu.be/gwZAYdHcDtU
² La communauté chinoise s’inquiète pour l’avenir du Quartier chinois. Septembre 2018. https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2018/09/01/la-communaute-chinoise-sinquiete-pour-lavenir-du-quartier-chinois-1
³ Sunshinable. http://aneunhae.com/about
⁴ Chanter “My Way” au karaoké, c’est risquer sa peau. Mars 2010. https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/2010/03/02/my-way-ou-la-vie
Song List
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Aretha Franklin
No Tears Left to Cry, Ariana Grande
Stand By Me, Ben E. King
Oops!… I Did It Again, Britney Spears
(They Long To Be) Close To You, The Carpenters
Believe, Cher
Karma Chameleon, Culture Club
Friday I’m in Love, The Cure
Private Eye, Daryl Hall & John Oates
Say My Name, Destiny’s Child
I’m Coming Out, Diana Ross
You Leave Me Breathless, Ella Fitzgerald
September, Earth, Wind & Fire
Killing Me Softly With His Song, The Fugees
Outside, George Michael
I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor
Make Me Feel, Janelle Monáe
All For You, Janet Jackson
Since U Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson
In The End, Linkin Park
Always be my Baby, Mariah Carey
Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
True Faith, New Order
Wonderwall, Oasis
Gigantic, Pixies
Kiss, Prince
Creep, Radiohead
Under the Bridge, Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Umbrella, Rihanna
Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinéad O'Connor
Today, Smashing Pumpkins
Tainted Love, Soft Cell
Wannabe, Spice Girls
U Don't Have To Call, Usher
How Will I Know, Whitney Houston
Pour que tu m'aimes encore, Céline Dion
La vie en rose, Edith Piaf
Le temps de l’amour, Françoise Hardy
Alors on danse, Stromae
Ces soirées-là, Yannick
만남 (1989年), 노사연
러시안 룰렛, 레드벨벳 (Red Velvet)
여수 밤바다, 버스커 버스커 (Busker Busker)
강남스타일, 싸이 (PSY)
어머나, 장윤정
걱정말아요 그대, 전인권
Dance The Night Away, 트와이스 (Twice)
그대라는사치, 한동근
기도, 홍삼트리오
뚜두뚜두 (DDU-DU DDU-DU), BLACKPINK
月亮代表我的心, 鄧麗君 (Teresa Teng)
Credits
PROGRAMMER Naomi Cui
PHOTO & VIDEO Malick Issa
TRANSLATOR Tigris Altaica Sakda
EDITOR Kate Whiteway
EQUIPMENT Studio XX
MODEL Gumi base by Masisi Edited by 2234083174 Download link
ANIMATION BigYellowAlien Dast DollyMolly323 (BBOOM BBOOM CRAZY DANCE, DDU-DU-DDU-DU, Peek-A-Boo, Rookie) Ivan Padilla Jakkaeront muramasa4429 naovbcool exo Natsumi San Pianomanjojo Sleepy Cane tweekcrystal ureshiiiiii (Angelite, Saving Grace)
AUDIO BeNKaraoke Easy Karaoke EdKara Freekaraok Jean Un karaokeonlinefree.blogspot.com Karafun Karaoke Acustico Karaoke Cloud Karaoke Prince KY Karaoke lebarde karaoke LoopingSenf MREntertainerKaraoke Personalized Karaoke SBI Karaoke Sing King Karaoke SoundMelodic Sound Choice Sunfly Karaoke The Karaoke Channel Tino TJ Karaoke Zoom Entertainment
FOOTAGE https://videos.pexels.com/videos/asia-852378 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/scenic-video-of-beach-1246161 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/footage-of-sunlight-857041 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/animated-video-of-flock-of-birds-853849 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/formation-of-clouds-855507 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/footage-of-cloud-formation-855441 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/video-of-clouds-on-a-sunny-day-1259362 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/time-lapse-video-of-clouds-1110242 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/blue-sky-video-855005 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/beautiful-blue-sky-857225 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/clear-blue-sky-855781 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/video-of-blue-sky-and-clouds-856024 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/pink-roses-in-bloom-1188439 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/video-of-flower-blooming-855183 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/close-up-video-of-red-flower-1270168 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/a-butterfly-on-a-flower-1171468 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/wind-blowing-at-flowers-under-a-clear-sky-852438 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/video-of-trees-under-clouds-852198 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/time-lapse-of-clouds-858036 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/cattails-around-the-pond-video-1269964 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/windy-meadow-852278 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/red-rose-in-full-bloom-855976 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/red-rose-on-the-floor-855930 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/birds-chirping-855287 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/video-of-sea-of-clouds-during-sunrise-855617 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/forest-sky-cloudy-sun-852050 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/timelapse-video-at-a-lake-852330 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/beach-waves-and-sunset-855633 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/dramatic-view-of-sunset-at-the-beach-855779 https://videos.pexels.com/videos/sunset-855623