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Principles oF Photosonicneurokineasthography Subsequent research has determined that the frequency that causes vibration of the eyeballs – and therefore distortion of vision – is around 19Hz. The work opens with a sun, a glowing red orb which hangs in the middle of the frame. Quickly the edges become distorted, agonized, fluttering and flicking outwards in spasms. The video then rips apart, not in a traditional filmic tear, but a wholly digital, alien mess - an abortion of florescent rainbow pixels, jagged lines and blown out glitches. Botborg abandons linear narrative, form, and cohesion in an attempt at a much more profound, visceral experience. Like the Surrealist film UN CHIEN ANDALOU (1928), where an eye is symbolically slit - it's "principles" can only be communicated by injecting an intertwined barrage of audiovisual matter behind the pupils directly into the brain. Paul Condon, in one review of the work, states that Botborg obviously didn't "spare a thought for such trifles as the moral consequences of their work, or the mental and physical well-being of their subjects". Yet music and movement, sound and the visual have long been a weapon. According to a Hungarian paper for the UN produced in 1978, the most dangerous resonant frequency to humans is around 8Hz - the frequency of flesh. Most 'weapons' are more subtle in nature. As early as 1997, classical music has been piped into sections of UKs underground metro in an effort to dispel 'anti-social' behaviour, loitering, and graffiti. "It has completely eliminated the problem," says Mr Yeoman. "The young people seem to loathe it. It's pretty uncool to be seen hanging around somewhere when Mozart is playing." Companies such as Information Unlimited offer a less melodic solution - their 'Phasor Pain Field Generator' produces two slightly different high pitched frequencies, resulting in an extremely ultrasonic tone which is "Intended for mounting to vehicles for potential crowd control applications. Also excellent for keeping out pests from gardens etc." Some uses are much darker - incorporating denigration of cultural or religious values. Detainees in Baghdad airport who are thought to possess valuable information are first sent to the 'Black Room', "a garage-sized, windowless space painted black where “rap music or rock’n’roll blared at deafening decibels over a loudspeaker." And while we seem experts at manipulating sound for torture, destruction, and control, the same frequencies (such as 8Hz for the brain) have been used to calm and aid in meditation. Buddhist monks have spoken about entering a state of bliss as they join together in a group to create walls of sound with a variety of instruments. As the sound reaches a crescendo, the entire temple picks up the frequency and acts as a mammoth resonating chamber. 'I had like pains all over and felt I could sick up and at the same time not sick up, and I began to feel like in distress, O my brothers, being fixed rigid too on this chair. When this bit of film was over I could slooshy the goloss of this Dr Brodsky from over by the sitchboard saying 'Reaction about twelve point five? Promising, promising.' On their informational document, Botborg "recommends that people who experience photosensitive seizures should exercise caution whilst viewing". The phenomenon, once rare, has becoming increasingly common with heavy usage of both TV and video games. On December 15th, 1997 hundreds of school children and their parents found this out firsthand. 20 minutes into the wildly popular anime show, Pokemon, a scene appeared in which the lovable monsters eyes flashed intensely for a few seconds. Hospitals and emergency numbers received hundreds of calls. A survey a few days later reported that "at least 618 children had suffered convulsions, vomiting, irritated eyes...." Whether shocking or soothing, exhilirating or crushing, our consumption and experience of the media burrows beneath the surface to create profound experiences.
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