Night Moves

Lex Harwood

Interview by L. Valena

First, can you please tell me what you responded to.

I responded to a piece of musical recording that was called Microbe Madness.

And what was your first reaction to it?

It was really mixed, because parts of it were really calming in a way, and then other parts of it were really frenetic and agitating. It was very interesting. The minute that I would kind of ease into a part of it and think, “Oh that’s kind of pleasant”, then this kind of tension would show up. And that happened every time I listened to it. Even after I listened to it a bunch and I kind of knew what was coming next, I still felt that same push and pull.

So what happened next?

I thought, “What does that invoke in me?” Some kind of visual reactions. I went to colors and textures and things, and I kept coming back to visual movement of some kind. Originally, I was drawing different things, but it wasn’t capturing it right and then I came to what I ended up creating.

How did you make this?

Back when technology was sort of at this cool breaking point where apps were first being developed and computer operating systems were much more basic, there were some awesome kinetic energy apps and installations in galleries and museums that were more accessible. This was like ten-plus years ago. I think that connection of personal movement and a reaction of something, in this case being a computer, is what inspired it. I used a couple of older apps that I have and editing tools to create that short video. So essentially what happens is the screen reacts to your finger’s movements, or whatever touches the screen. If you put multiple fingers or a hand or something on the screen, then those dots collect and as you move on the screen, it follows you. I took it into an editing program and slowed down certain parts or sped up certain parts. 

That’s so interesting! It’s interesting because you’re engaging in the digital world in this way. Do they use AI to make these things?? How are they doing that?

Exactly! What’s cool is that I was actually trying to scale back in technology. I was trying to uncomplicate. I feel like technology nowadays is so… it’s like our brains can’t even comprehend what we’re seeing half the time. Our minds haven’t evolved in any way, yet technology has evolved in this extreme fashion. In creating this, I really wanted it to almost take me back to when I was a kid. I grew up in the 80s and when I was a kid, you had these music videos that were less… visual stimulation? I don’t mean that, because there is a lot of visual stimulation in what I did. But there was a simplicity. In it being full of movement and how did this happen, but like just trying to focus on these little dots that also made me think of microbes in a more literal fashion.

It’s like engaging with digital microbes.

Yeah!

That’s cool. How does this relate to the rest of your work?

I’m a trained fine artist. I grew up with my parents who are artists. As kids, my sister and I had the gift of being able to explore in so many different mediums, whether it’s visual or sound or tactile. We grew up in the country, in the woods and stuff, so we had this playground of different materials and ways to express them. I think that that can be complicated as an adult, because you can’t always focus on one thing because you see so many different ways that something can be communicated, which I find that I struggle with now. I do feel that it’s kind of neat to say, “Oh wow, I can express something in a plethora of different mediums.” 

I totally relate to that. That’s exactly how I grew up and that’s how I feel a lot of the time, too. It’s pretty wild. Especially now that we have so much software that’s really really good.

Oh my god yes.

It’s like, Oh I can do anything! So what’s it gonna be?

You can do anything! And it’s overwhelming. Sometimes I admire somebody who just went to school and continued on that straight, linear path of doing one thing, because every day I’m like, “Oh my god, maybe I should do this now!”

I know! I’m always totally amazed and a little jealous sometimes of people who are like, “I found the thing that I love and I’ll just do that for the rest of my life.”

Exactly. I don’t know what that feels like, but as I’ve gotten older, I’m going through this process of learning to appreciate that side of me, that’s dynamic and needs different stimulation and is curious. I think as we get older, we lose that curiosity of exploring in art and music. When you’re a kid, they’re like, “What instrument do you wanna play,” and you’re like, “I don’t know.” Then you start playing an instrument. Maybe you don’t like it, so you play a different one. Then we become adults, and we’re supposed to adult. Whatever that means.

Also, I’m thinking about how you got that idea in your animation. The idea of cause and effect, action and reaction. What happens if I do this? What happens if I do that? How will the world react if I touch this?

And there’s not a right or a wrong. It’s just different outcomes. This, what you’re doing, is actually such an awesome vehicle for that because it’s taking away the pressure. Although I do believe that, especially if you’re an artist in any trained fashion, there’s always that pressure, no matter how much you don’t want it to be there. You’re like, I could make that better or I could tweak that little thing. I think it’s just so cool what you’re doing and giving people that space to have all these different ways to have fun with an idea or an inspiration.

That’s definitely the most exciting part of this project, seeing where people go with that freedom and allow themselves to walk down a new path. It’s pretty exciting. Well, do you have any advice for another artist who’s going to participate in this project?

In regards to the project, I think that it’s not creating boundaries. You do have to have some time management involved, but I think that trusting the first idea that you have and seeing where it goes– that process. Then you open up this creative door in other parts of your life because you don’t feel that pressure to be like, “Oh I have this idea and I have to stick with it.” You don’t know what my original idea was, so it doesn’t matter. It’s trusting the process.

And I would say, for anybody, it’s important to have every day (even if it’s just five minutes) some sort of creative outlet. Whether it’s drawing or playing music or listening to music. Really being present with something that is a creative expression.

Call Number: Y43MU | Y44FI.haNi

Lex Harwood: I have spent a lifetime exploring the world through different modalities in art. Most recently I settled in on the North Shore of Massachusetts with my fiancée and opened Helen's Bottle Shop, a natural wine shop. Another avenue for creativity.