Center for Experimental Multimedia Art
Established by Badie Khaleghian, Assistant Professor of Digital Music, and supported significantly by ÁñÁ«ÊÓÆµ, CEMA acts as a vibrant hub where artists, researchers, and students collaboratively integrate emerging technologies with artistic practices.
At its core, CEMA is both a studio, an intimate venue, and an instrument, inviting interdisciplinary experimentation across electronic music, audiovisual interaction, immersive media, and experimental data realizations.
Immersive Environment & Technology
CEMA features a state-of-the-art 180-degree curved projection screen, illuminated by four high-resolution projectors that seamlessly cover both the curved screen and the floor. This impressive visual setup is complemented by an eight-channel surround sound system, creating an immersive environment that deeply engages both creators and audiences. The space is designed for multisensory experimentation, where sound and visuals interact dynamically in real-time, opening new possibilities for performance, installation art, and research.
Vision & Philosophy
CEMA envisions a future where multimedia art extends beyond traditional boundaries, integrating technology and human experience in meaningful ways.
- A Living Instrument – The space itself is treated as an instrument—one that artists and researchers learn to play and compose for. Just as a musician develops a deep relationship with their instrument, CEMA encourages its users to explore, refine, and innovate within the space.
- Pushing Creative Boundaries – CEMA fosters an ethos of risk-taking and experimentation, encouraging students and scholars to challenge conventional notions of performance, sound design, and interactivity.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration – CEMA fosters a collaborative environment that brings together artists, technologists, and researchers from diverse fields. The space encourages cross-disciplinary partnerships that integrate various disciplines, such as neuroscience with audiovisual composition, artificial intelligence with sound design, or dance with interactive visuals.
Core Projects & Research Areas
- Brain-Computer Interfaces for Music & Visualization – Developing real-time systems where neural activity influences sound and visual media.
- Immersive Audio-Visual Performance – Creating works that merge sound, projection mapping, and interactive digital landscapes.
- Field Recording & Soundscape Composition – Transforming environmental sound into artistic expression.
- Electronic Music & Musique Concrète – Exploring historical and contemporary techniques in experimental composition.
- Gaming & Interactive Sound Design – Integrating electronic music into video game scoring and interactive storytelling.
- AI & Generative Art – Using machine learning and algorithmic composition in multimedia artworks.
Impact & Community
Beyond being a research and production space, CEMA serves as an educational platform that nurtures new generations of experimental artists. It fosters a community of creative practitioners dedicated to expanding the expressive possibilities of digital art and performance.
By treating the space as an evolving, interactive instrument, CEMA reshapes the relationship between technology, art, and human experience, forging a new paradigm in experimental media.
For further details, please reach out to Professor Badie Khaleghian at b.khaleghian@bowdoin.edu.