Creative Tech Week

Regions of Influence is a multi-channel sound installation blending the art of radio transmission with the unique and obscure language of dreams. It was created by Tim Fodness under the technical guidance of Joseph Morris. Over the course of roughly three years, sound artist Tim Fodness logged his dreams in a journal and recorded himself reading them. The archive was randomly split into groups and stored on media players for audio playback. Each media player is connected to a transmitter that broadcasts its dream content on a specific radio frequency. These frequencies are then tuned into using multiple radios placed around the room. The result is an immersive installation in which multiple dreams are transmitted and received simultaneously. Those visiting the exhibition enter the world of the dreamer, and are enveloped in the symbolic language broadcasted by the unconscious psyche.

Fields, which are defined by science as regions of influence, are present in both radio and dreaming. In radio, it's the electromagnetic field that makes transmission possible. In dreams, it's the field of obscure ideas known as the unconscious mind. Dreaming is said to be a compensatory function. As the conscious mind becomes increasingly bogged down with the practical demands of society, the unconscious weighs in reminding the dreamer of his or her inner attitude. This is why the study of dreams is so important. It helps us shed light on our individual personalities. The same can also be said about the concept of radio, as any study on the subject will reveal its continued role in providing us with much of our current technology. Technology that has become more of a requirement to carry, and less of a requirement to understand.