Backdrop was an interactive audiovisual installation exploring the relationship between human input, music, and generative visuals. Built around a custom-made MIDI controller, the project invited participants to step into the role of a VJ by manipulating projected visuals in real time. Rather than simply observing the installation, viewers became active collaborators, shaping the visual atmosphere through touch and experimentation.

The installation centered around a custom controller built from an Arduino microcontroller and six potentiometers housed inside a handcrafted project box. Each knob was mapped to a different visual parameter in VDMX, allowing participants to manipulate color, distortion, movement, scale, and other effects as they interacted with the piece. Party music played continuously throughout the experience, while audio-reactive visuals pulsed and blurred with each beat, creating a dynamic relationship between sound and image.

Backdrop explored the idea that live visual performance can be both accessible and collaborative. By simplifying the tools of VJing into an intuitive physical interface, the installation encouraged curiosity, experimentation, and play. The result was an experience where every participant produced a unique composition, transforming spectators into performers and demonstrating how technology can empower creative expression.