20 Largest State-to-State Migration Flows (Source: U.S. Census Data) (2006)
Digital video with stereo audio.
A series of compositions that render patterns of movement from census data in oscillating audiovisual signals. Each sound pulse represents the movement of approximately 83 people. Altogether the sounds reference the state-to-state migrations of 4.6+ million people, many of which were due to economic factors or retirees moving from cold to warmer climates. Latitude and longitude coordinates of state capitals determine pitch intervals. Elevation differences between cities generate rhythmic patterns. Directions of pitch intervals illustrate outflow or reverse migration. Audio signal is input to video, and framed using an analog video mixer.
These compositions point to the limitations of data in describing human experience, but also encourage contemplation on how data can be deployed seriously and whimsically to reference the human cultures of which they are a part. Like human patterns, the rhythms here convey energetic momentum, or mundane repetitiveness.
This series has been presented as single-channel video projection with stereo audio, and as an audio mix of the 20 segments, with as many as four "Flows" overlapping at once.
Video: Largest State-to-State Migration Flows (No. 1-5) | 21:05 - 69.1 mb
(Headphones or good speakers recommended for perceiving low frequencies.)
MP3 excerpts of audio mix:
#6, #7, #12 (Florida to Georgia, California to Washington, California to Colorado) | 1:29 - 1.7 mb
#5, #10 (California to Texas, Texas to California) | 1:23 - 1.6 mb
#8, #15 (California to Oregon, Georgia to Florida) | 1:12 - 1.4 mb
Score
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