Stephen Lawrence Memorial Lecture | Stage design

[Steam Down x the [204] Design Collective]

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Following The Stephen Lawrence Memorial Lecture, music collective Steam Down joined the conversation through a performance led by Nadeem Din-Gabisi and Brother Portrait.

The [204] Design Collective collaborated with Steam Down on set design for this performance. Through space and sound, this design explored elements of Afro-infinitism such as endurance,  permanence, and fortitudinous, and was inspired by the work and theories of Josef Albers on rhythm, composition, and colour.

‘The Narrator + The Crowd’
This design explored various spatial configurations using light, simple geometries, and sound to explore rhythm, space, and movement. Nested wooden frames were brought to life with the use of LED lights. Through coding and the use of an Arduino board, a sound sensor was used to read volume and frequency, creating a responsive connection between music and light.

Values were live streamed through the Arduino board and connected to the LED light system,  turning the music into a narrator. This design allowed the artists to control the spatial quality of the stage through light and sound. The simple geometries allowed us to play with the configuration and construction of the panels.