Since coming on the scene in 2013, the collaborative project between filmmaker Sylvain Chaussée and composer Adrian Gordon Cook, otherwise known as Zephyr, has been mesmerizing audiences with their immersive audiovisual performances. The project is centralized around the use of 16mm film loops and sequential musical patterns in an attempt to expand cinema's potential to influence audience expectations. Drawing upon the historical connection between image and sound, Zephyr reflects on the emotionally charged relationships created when both mediums are combined. In the live performance, a direct dialogue exists between projectionist and musician, allowing them to progress in synchrony, mirroring each other through the building and deconstructing of the cinematic experience.
Sylvain Chaussée is a filmmaker and photographer born in France and based in Toronto. Chaussée's work focuses on the materiality of his medium, which is realized through extensive processing and printing techniques. As a film technician at Niagara Custom Lab he strives for an alternative approach towards filmmaking. In performance, loops provide the basis for his imagery, through which the repetition of movement, colour, and texture are integral to the experience of the work. Chaussée is inspired by the physical nature of film, which permits limitless opportunities for manipulation and transformation.
Adrian Gordon Cook is a composer, performer and multi-instrumentalist based in Toronto. Studied in composition, electronic media and music history, Cook’s work is largely inspired by the early minimalist composers of the 1960's, taking shape within large temporal boundaries, utilizing drones, repetition, prolonged chordal movements and static harmony. Often contemplative and understated, his music shifts subtly between sonic texture and colours. He has a keen interest in multi-disciplinary work, influenced by the new relationships formed when sound is not the sole aspect of a piece.