After three weeks of waiting, Mr. Maxime Michaud finally returns a lengthy reply. Maxime is very kind upon answering my questions. He even offered his Master's thesis to me - even though it is in French, it is a huge help to get it from him.
Below are the questions and answers directly from our email interaction.
1. First of all, can you introduce yourself, where are you from, and what type of work do you do?
Well, I guess my English bio sums it all. If you need more specific infos, let me know.
Otherwise, I’m from Montreal (QC), Canada.
I’m currently a freelancer, mostly doing audiovisual work, live visuals and sound.
Here’s my bio bellow (https://www.maximemichaud.com/bio-en) :
And a selective Resume (https://www.maximemichaud.com/cv-en)
Transdisciplinary artist.
~ Audiovisual /composition /music /performance /video /biofeedback /installation /digital et al.
Born in the early 90s. Aquarius, Libra ascendant.
Described as kind and creative.
Was part of the deceased anonymous collective Sasskou. Collaborated with the artistic cooperative Le Sacre. Is now sometimes chillin' with Les Mêmes-Cacaïstes and Jeunesse Cosmique and other peeps.
Has an interest in human beings in their totality (almost), their embodied nature, their complexity, and their quests. Trying to devote himself to the daily practice of art; also likes cinema and music and technology and Wikipedia and lots of stuff. Takes his time.
Has a B.A. of Communication: Filmmaking - Directing at UQAM. Has a M.A. of Communication: Research-Creation in Experimental Media under Hexagram Network. Works on immersion, perception and the question of ''well-being''. Has a particular interest in cognitive sciences, notions of embodiment, enactivism, and sentience. Plays often with brainwave sensors, contact-mics, and other physiological devices.
Made short films, music videos, performances, sounds and visuals here and there. Has been Director - Programming + Development/Curator at le Livart, art center (2018-2019). Also works as a freelancer. His main instrument is his voice.
Many of his projects, like his first documentary made with a little amount of money Who We Are, toured festivals. Received many awards. Did residencies and got grants. His art went, among other places, to London (Institute of Contemporary Arts), Munich (FSF, filmmuseum), Moscow (VGIK), Morelia (CMMAS, Visiones Sonoras), Osaka (INTAC), Lisbon (DME, Lisboa Incomum), Tehran (RooBeRoo), Vancouver (DOXA), Moncton (RE:FLUX) and Montreal (Eastern Bloc, Cinémathèque Québécoise, Elektra/Mian, RIDM, Printemps Numérique...)...
[He] does not hesitate to bring all his passions together or to explore new directions. Maxime is a sensible observer, a volatile thinker, and an experimenter.
2. In your words, can you describe your type of work?
My work is transdisciplinary, which means it mixes many disciplinary boundaries to create a holistic approach.
We can somehow say it’s a convergence of art/science/technology.
I’m mostly interested towards the questions of well-being, states of consciousness and more broadly cognitive sciences.
The two projects you are referring to (Vers une sensation… and Un doux parfum d’insouciance) fit into the lineage of my previous works: immersive experiences, new technologies, cinema and altered states, exploration of states of consciousness, sensory integration, empathy, desire to appease…
Lately, I’ve been mostly working on simple straight ambient music, but I still want to integrate physiological devices to future projects.
3. What made you want to focus on using human brainwave activity as part of a research-creation master’s degree in experimental media?
I focused on human brainwave activity, indeed, as well as heart rate. I wanted to work with the body as a whole and create an interactive, multisensorial interface that is autopoietic (see Varela and Maturana – Autopoiesis).
As my project was dedicated to sentient (see Sentience) beings, I needed to understand them a minimum. This is why I have defined my approach by a so-called biophenomenological paradigm (look for biophenomenology and/or neurophenomenology), inspired by cognitive sciences theories like enactivism. Brainwave activity was a way for me to enhance the auto-organized and autopoietic character coveted and be the closest way possible to a feeling of relaxation (or to approach it and try to define it).
As you know, Art can make us live and feel lots of things, it can evoke in us very strong sensations. The possibilities seem infinite. The limits, well, they just seem human. I believe that Art, above all, is an integral part of our embodied nature, with utility. And I frame the idea of nature by the relationship of how we organize ourselves in interaction with our environments. I put the emphasis on [the] attributes and characteristics of the body. It’s a generator, an actuator, and a receiver at the same time. As a being, it’s my only reference, and everything around is part of it. I guess that kind of explains my use of such tools.
While doing research and setting the basics of my project, I stumbled on brainwave activity and biofeedback art. I found it pretty relevant and started to work with it.
4. Can you explain more about the concept of ‘Towards a sensation’?
“Vers une sensation […]” is a Masters thesis project which aims at the realization of an immersive and “self-organized” device whose role is to accompany the indivual towards a feeling of relaxation.
Framed by embodied cognition and enactivism, the main goal of this work is to circumscribe the phenomenon of relaxation by the “lived experience” (what people live and feel, see Phenomenology). As a result, ten participants tried my work/installation and answered questions in individual meetings of varying lengths. The sessions also allowed to optimize the interface of the device created, generated via brainwaves (EEG) and heart rhythm (PPG).
The statements of the participants are thus put in relation, just as their physiological data. The idea is to approach the phenomenon of relaxation in a certain way to see what emerges during the process.
As you can find on my website :
The user sits in a bright dome where he sits comfortably on a reclining chair, electroencephalograph on the head and heart rate monitor on the arm. The sensed physiological signals are then received by an interface, which by complex algorithms generates the media experience. It is the user himself who creates his experience; he is relaxing. Inspired by enactivism, a way of conceiving cognition, and the FFR (FollowingFrequencyResponse), designed algorithms influence several aspects of the work: colors, speed of stroboscopic pulsations, binaural beats, sound sequences, transitions, height sound, reverb, various effects, haptic vibrations, etc.
5. When using the word ‘relaxing’, what do you mean by that? Is it listening to a specific type of music or just personal preference?
I don’t understand the second part of the question, but for the first… well, kind of hard to translate and explain briefly. My whole thesis is on trying to delimit the term “détente” (relaxation). I approach the vital and psychic processes that make up the phenomenon relaxation by integrating them into a "global approach based on the primacy of consciousness " as something that is done, in the "Constitution of lived phenomena". Relaxation is an action, an "enacted" perceptual experience (See Alva Noë, 2004). By "relaxation", I mean an action, which is defined in History and literature in several ways:
6. From your blog, when you said ‘The sensed physiological signals are then received by an interface, which by complex algorithms generates the media experience.’, how does the interface (complex algorithms) work? Could you please explain it in as much detail as possible?
Below are the questions and answers directly from our email interaction.
1. First of all, can you introduce yourself, where are you from, and what type of work do you do?
Well, I guess my English bio sums it all. If you need more specific infos, let me know.
Otherwise, I’m from Montreal (QC), Canada.
I’m currently a freelancer, mostly doing audiovisual work, live visuals and sound.
Here’s my bio bellow (https://www.maximemichaud.com/bio-en) :
And a selective Resume (https://www.maximemichaud.com/cv-en)
Transdisciplinary artist.
~ Audiovisual /composition /music /performance /video /biofeedback /installation /digital et al.
Born in the early 90s. Aquarius, Libra ascendant.
Described as kind and creative.
Was part of the deceased anonymous collective Sasskou. Collaborated with the artistic cooperative Le Sacre. Is now sometimes chillin' with Les Mêmes-Cacaïstes and Jeunesse Cosmique and other peeps.
Has an interest in human beings in their totality (almost), their embodied nature, their complexity, and their quests. Trying to devote himself to the daily practice of art; also likes cinema and music and technology and Wikipedia and lots of stuff. Takes his time.
Has a B.A. of Communication: Filmmaking - Directing at UQAM. Has a M.A. of Communication: Research-Creation in Experimental Media under Hexagram Network. Works on immersion, perception and the question of ''well-being''. Has a particular interest in cognitive sciences, notions of embodiment, enactivism, and sentience. Plays often with brainwave sensors, contact-mics, and other physiological devices.
Made short films, music videos, performances, sounds and visuals here and there. Has been Director - Programming + Development/Curator at le Livart, art center (2018-2019). Also works as a freelancer. His main instrument is his voice.
Many of his projects, like his first documentary made with a little amount of money Who We Are, toured festivals. Received many awards. Did residencies and got grants. His art went, among other places, to London (Institute of Contemporary Arts), Munich (FSF, filmmuseum), Moscow (VGIK), Morelia (CMMAS, Visiones Sonoras), Osaka (INTAC), Lisbon (DME, Lisboa Incomum), Tehran (RooBeRoo), Vancouver (DOXA), Moncton (RE:FLUX) and Montreal (Eastern Bloc, Cinémathèque Québécoise, Elektra/Mian, RIDM, Printemps Numérique...)...
[He] does not hesitate to bring all his passions together or to explore new directions. Maxime is a sensible observer, a volatile thinker, and an experimenter.
2. In your words, can you describe your type of work?
My work is transdisciplinary, which means it mixes many disciplinary boundaries to create a holistic approach.
We can somehow say it’s a convergence of art/science/technology.
I’m mostly interested towards the questions of well-being, states of consciousness and more broadly cognitive sciences.
The two projects you are referring to (Vers une sensation… and Un doux parfum d’insouciance) fit into the lineage of my previous works: immersive experiences, new technologies, cinema and altered states, exploration of states of consciousness, sensory integration, empathy, desire to appease…
Lately, I’ve been mostly working on simple straight ambient music, but I still want to integrate physiological devices to future projects.
3. What made you want to focus on using human brainwave activity as part of a research-creation master’s degree in experimental media?
I focused on human brainwave activity, indeed, as well as heart rate. I wanted to work with the body as a whole and create an interactive, multisensorial interface that is autopoietic (see Varela and Maturana – Autopoiesis).
As my project was dedicated to sentient (see Sentience) beings, I needed to understand them a minimum. This is why I have defined my approach by a so-called biophenomenological paradigm (look for biophenomenology and/or neurophenomenology), inspired by cognitive sciences theories like enactivism. Brainwave activity was a way for me to enhance the auto-organized and autopoietic character coveted and be the closest way possible to a feeling of relaxation (or to approach it and try to define it).
As you know, Art can make us live and feel lots of things, it can evoke in us very strong sensations. The possibilities seem infinite. The limits, well, they just seem human. I believe that Art, above all, is an integral part of our embodied nature, with utility. And I frame the idea of nature by the relationship of how we organize ourselves in interaction with our environments. I put the emphasis on [the] attributes and characteristics of the body. It’s a generator, an actuator, and a receiver at the same time. As a being, it’s my only reference, and everything around is part of it. I guess that kind of explains my use of such tools.
While doing research and setting the basics of my project, I stumbled on brainwave activity and biofeedback art. I found it pretty relevant and started to work with it.
4. Can you explain more about the concept of ‘Towards a sensation’?
“Vers une sensation […]” is a Masters thesis project which aims at the realization of an immersive and “self-organized” device whose role is to accompany the indivual towards a feeling of relaxation.
Framed by embodied cognition and enactivism, the main goal of this work is to circumscribe the phenomenon of relaxation by the “lived experience” (what people live and feel, see Phenomenology). As a result, ten participants tried my work/installation and answered questions in individual meetings of varying lengths. The sessions also allowed to optimize the interface of the device created, generated via brainwaves (EEG) and heart rhythm (PPG).
The statements of the participants are thus put in relation, just as their physiological data. The idea is to approach the phenomenon of relaxation in a certain way to see what emerges during the process.
As you can find on my website :
The user sits in a bright dome where he sits comfortably on a reclining chair, electroencephalograph on the head and heart rate monitor on the arm. The sensed physiological signals are then received by an interface, which by complex algorithms generates the media experience. It is the user himself who creates his experience; he is relaxing. Inspired by enactivism, a way of conceiving cognition, and the FFR (FollowingFrequencyResponse), designed algorithms influence several aspects of the work: colors, speed of stroboscopic pulsations, binaural beats, sound sequences, transitions, height sound, reverb, various effects, haptic vibrations, etc.
5. When using the word ‘relaxing’, what do you mean by that? Is it listening to a specific type of music or just personal preference?
I don’t understand the second part of the question, but for the first… well, kind of hard to translate and explain briefly. My whole thesis is on trying to delimit the term “détente” (relaxation). I approach the vital and psychic processes that make up the phenomenon relaxation by integrating them into a "global approach based on the primacy of consciousness " as something that is done, in the "Constitution of lived phenomena". Relaxation is an action, an "enacted" perceptual experience (See Alva Noë, 2004). By "relaxation", I mean an action, which is defined in History and literature in several ways:
Relaxation of contracted muscles and any physical tension, intellectual or moral ... A state of absolute freedom, of absolute confidence ... Relaxation, rest, relaxation of body and mind, relaxation ... Decrease in muscle tone and nervous tension, soothing of internal tensions, consolidation of the mental balance of the subject ... pleasant result of relaxation of nervous tension ...From the Latin detendere, detendo, the etymology of the word "détente (relaxation)" takes shape as cessation of something. It is expressed as a reverse action, a weapon against the stress, the tense, the unpleasant ... My project proposes to go "towards" it, to approach it, to position oneself to its surroundings. In the end, it’s mostly subjective, like everything.
6. From your blog, when you said ‘The sensed physiological signals are then received by an interface, which by complex algorithms generates the media experience.’, how does the interface (complex algorithms) work? Could you please explain it in as much detail as possible?
The interface is developed from algorithms/patches (sections of code) and functions in the software of Cycling 74 'Max 7. Sound, pulsed colored lights and vibrations start within it. It is, in a way, the interface that connects the corporal and the media, or even merge them. Complicated to develop, requiring borrowing and research, the interface has rules and algorithms that determine the perceptible. Therefore, the designed algorithms interpret physiological signals (decode or transform the Hz, which is the chosen common language) of the user and trigger a variety of actions: departures, stops, increases, decreases, additions, withdrawals, multiplications, fits, comparisons, scaling...
Result of choice and selection, for example to refer to the individual equivalences slightly inferior in FFR (Following Frequency Response) methods, the interface is not schematized only with the help of Max 7 and peripherals, but also several applications, including HeartRate OSC and Muse Monitor. If I can make it simple, if the signals of the user are let’s say 10 (this is a random number as an example), the interface will send media that’ll be around 9, just a little bit lower. The idea is to “pull down” to bring around let’s say 3 or 4 (that’ll be at the end of Theta and Beginning of Alpha). When the user spends enough time in 3-4 (again, this is just an indicator to make you understand), a final sequence will be launch and the experience will slowly end. The interface receives signal and sends signal. The user also receives signal and sends signal.
7. What are the software and hardware you used for this particular project?
1. Cycling 74’ Max 7 (the interface)
2. Muse Monitor (FFT/PSD)
3. HeartRate OSC (+ Matlab et Kubios)
4. Arduino + IDE
5. Enttec Ode DMX Mk2
6. Behringer 1202FX
7. Scarlett 4i2
8. Chauvet Pro Par-Quad RGBA
9. Chauvet Pro Color-Batten RGBA
10. EEG Muse™
11. PPG Polar OH1
12. Sennheiser HD 598cs
13. Armchair + Subpac S2 components (dismounted)
14. Fan
15. Dome in white lycra/cotton
8. How did you create the ‘complex algorithm’ you use for your project?
… with lots of research, help from people and other algorithm/patches that were already made. Lots of trial and error.
9. Is there anything you would like to add about the project?
It really is a bummer that my Thesis is in French: every info you would need is in there! Try to translate it somehow or translate parts of it with Google Translate, maybe it will help. Feel free to look at the References at the end. Finally, I used similar techniques with UN DOUX PARFUM D’INSOUCIANCE. I based myself on the interface I previously made to simplify it and use it live to alter sound and image.
That concludes my interview with him. Unfortunately, I cannot share his whole thesis here. But his answers give me a summarization of his thesis, especially the concept and idea of it.
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