Work Category: Media

Earth Art, Two Stage Lenticular Print, 36 x 24 in, 2026.

Posted on September 7, 2026 by -

Vlahos Earth Art Lenticular Print

Earth Art is a two-stage lenticular1 print that “flips” between the words ART and EARTH in relation to the horizontal viewing angle. The work celebrates and elevates the quirky appearance of the word “ART” between the E and the H in “EARTH.” This work builds on my grant-funded research into large-scale lenticular printing, which first began in 2024. A portion of this initial research was published2 in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding in 2025.

Earth Art uses tightly kerned uppercase letters set in the 20th-century sans-serif typeface Compacta, which I first began using as Letraset peel-and-stick letters in the 1990s. To this day I often use this typeface in my graphic, motion, and poster design work. Earth Art is inspired and informed by contemporary word art3 artists including Kay Rosen, Barbara Kruger, Jenny Holzer, Ed Ruscha, and Lawrence Weiner. The title is also a playful nod to land [earth] art—sometimes referred to as environmental art.4 Like Ruscha,5 I originally studied graphic design and, again like Ruscha, much of my early layout work and art direction was for advertising and art catalogs. Interestingly, between 1965 and 1967, Ruscha even designed the pages for the art journal Artforum.6

Among these wordart or wordplay artists, Kay Rosen’s work most directly informs Earth Art. It is no surprise that Rosen originally studied linguistics and that her work draws upon typography and graphic design. In the catalogue for her 2017 exhibition “Kay Rosen: H Is for House” at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Richard Klein notes that “Rosen’s text-based work can be found in the world of graphic design, and particularly the influence of the Bauhaus on type and typography.”7 Klein further states that, “The bold use of letterforms and color by Bauhaus-influenced designers has informed much of visual culture….”8 In the catalogue for Rosen’s 2024 exhibition at the Weserburg Museum of Modern Art in Bremen, Germany, Janneke de Vries states something that I have long believed: great works of art sometimes have the ability to linger in the mind for many years after encountering them. Along these lines, in reference to Rosen’s Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing (1994) de Vries states, “There are some works of art that stay with you for an entire lifetime—quiet and private, powerful and inspiring.”9

The orange-red in the background of Earth Art is perhaps best described as vermilion.10 For many years, I have used a specific CMYK formula for this color. I have used the color so often that my clients and colleagues have jokingly named it “Vlahos vermilion.”

Credits and Specifications

  • Lenticular Production: Parallax Printing, USA
  • Edition of 5
  • Framed Size: 48 x 36 in.

Footnotes

  1. See: “Lenticular printing.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Sep 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_printing. ↩︎
  2. Vlahos, Dan. “Exploring the Affects and Effects of a Trompe-l’œil Lenticular Portal to Nature.” Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, vol. 9, no. 1, 2025, pp. 49–56, https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2470-9670.2025.v9.i1.a166. ↩︎
  3. See: “Word art.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Dec 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_art. ↩︎
  4. See: “Land art.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Jul 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_art. ↩︎
  5. “Ed Ruscha.” Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/ed-ruscha. Accessed 6 Sept. 2026. ↩︎
  6. “Edward Ruscha.” National Gallery of Australia, nga.gov.au/art-artists/the-kenneth-e-tyler-collection/artists/edward-ruscha/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2026. ↩︎
  7. Rosen, Kay. Kay Rosen: H Is for House. Essay by Richard Klein, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, 2017. ↩︎
  8. Ibid. ↩︎
  9. Rosen, Kay. Kay Rosen: Now and Then. Edited by Ingo Clauß and Janneke de Vries, DCV, 2023. ↩︎
  10. See: “Vermilion.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Sep 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermilion. ↩︎

Soulflow, Alterplinary Storytelling, 2024–Present.

Posted on September 1, 2026 by -

Soulflow

Since 2024, I have been helping tell the story of Soulflow–a multi-year interdisciplinary research collaboration between the biomedical engineer Patrick L. Purdon, Ph.D1 (Stanford University) and the jazz pianist Kevin Harris2 (Berklee College of Music). The storytelling component of Soulflow includes talks, educational materials, and an in-production documentary film directed by the Emmy-nominated, award-winning documentary filmmaker Josh Izenberg.3

As a storytelling initiative, Soulflow takes audiences and viewers on a sonic and scientific journey into the intersection of music, science, empathy, connection, communication, and understanding. The Soulflow story also captures the remarkable and unlikely partnership and friendship between a jazz musician and a neuroscientist. Together, this unlikely pair and a team of collaborators across disciplines have embarked on a boundless quest to understand fundamental scientific and humanistic questions. Purdon and Harris’ research project seeks to explore brain activity during small ensemble jazz improvisation. The study uses electroencephalography4 (EEG) to monitor and record brain activity data. Using state-of-the-art technology and data analysis the project seeks to contribute to our understanding of brain mechanisms surrounding social interaction performed under uncertainty—what most of us would simply call improvisation. The first Souflow talk (co-produced with Aandre Davis) took place at Berklee College of Music in July of 2026. I have supported the project as a producer and designer. If you are interested in learning more about or supporting Soulflow the documentray film, please contact Josh Izenberg.

Footnotes

  1. “Patrick Purdon.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Sep 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Purdon. ↩︎
  2. Harris, Kevin. “The Artist | Contemporary Jazz Creator by KHP.” Kevin Harris Project, kevinharrisproject.com/the-artist/. ↩︎
  3. Izenberg, Josh. “About.” Josh Izenberg, joshizenberg.com/about/. ↩︎
  4. “Electroencephalography.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Aug 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroencephalography. ↩︎

The Trinity, Sketch Hymn Composition, 2026.

Posted on August 24, 2026 by -

The Trinity was mostly inspired by the classic 19th-century Christian tune “Eventide” written by the English organist William Henry Monk1 (1823–1889) in 1861. “Eventide” is best known as the tune that accompanies “Abide with Me,”2 written by British Anglican cleric Henry Francis Lyte3 (1793–1847) in 1847. The Trinity is also inspired by a fascinating interview I stumbled upon years ago between Art Lange and Keith Jarrett. Interestingly, in the interview, Jarrett states, “If I could call everything I did Hymn, it would be appropriate, because that’s what they are when they’re correct.”4 Fascinatingly, when I then searched for citations of the quote, the first attribution in the AI summary falsely attributed it to Bob Dylan. I refreshed the search, and it said Leonard Bernstein; I refreshed again, and it said John Cage, then Charles Ives—each time with seemingly greater confidence. Paradoxically, this occurrence seemed to correlate indirectly with Jarrett’s quote around that which is “correct.”

After listening to many excellent renditions and variations of Abide with Me on YouTube, I learned to play it on the keyboard—and eventually attempted my own composition using a similar approach. The Trinity uses the same key signature as Abide with Me (E-flat major) and, ideally, employs a similar adante (moderately slow) tempo—ideal for sacred-liturgical preludes and postludes. The Trinity is a work in progress, but a few raw takes on the organ and other instruments are listed below.

Live Recordings

  • 14 October 2026 at Concord Conservatory of Music on Steinway Grand Piano (Download)
  • 29 October 2026 at Concord Conservatory of Music on Steinway Grand Piano (Download)
  • 29 October 2026 at Concord Conservatory of Music [Rubato Take] on Steinway Grand Piano (Download)

Media

Footnotes

  1. “William Henry Monk.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Aug 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Monk. ↩︎
  2. “Abide with Me.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Jul 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abide_with_Me. ↩︎
  3. “Henry Francis Lyte.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Jul 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Francis_Lyte. ↩︎
  4. Lange, Art. “The Keith Jarrett Interview.” DownBeat, https://downbeat.com/microsites/ecm-jarrett/post_2-jarrectt-interview.html. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026. ↩︎

Park Street, Sketch Piano Composition, 2006.

Posted on August 5, 2026 by -

Park Street is one of Boston’s best-known and most historic streets.1 The street stretches from the Massachusetts State House down to Park Street Station and abuts Boston Common. It features major landmarks like the Park Street Church.2

This short, lighthearted, and playful solo piano sketch features a bright, lyrical melody in the right hand, supported by rolling arpeggios and rhythmic chord accompaniment in the left hand. The tempo shifts give it a whimsical, folk or theatrical feel—reminiscent of silent-film accompaniment or ragtime composition. Overall, the melodic mood is optimistic if not cheery.

The sketch is partially inspired by compositions by the French composer and producer Yann Tiersen3 and, in particular, his well-known instrumental waltz La Valse d’Amélie,4 first released on the soundtrack of the acclaimed film Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain5 (2001), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.6 The sketch may also reflect my nostalgic fondness for Vince Guaraldi’s7 compositions.

Media

Footnotes

  1. See: “Park Street (Boston).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Mar 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Street_(Boston). ↩︎
  2. See: “Park Street Church.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 July 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Street_Church.  ↩︎
  3. “Yann Tiersen.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 June 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yann_Tiersen. ↩︎
  4. “La Valse d’Amélie.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 June 2026, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Valse_d%27Amélie. ↩︎
  5. “Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 July 2026, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Fabuleux_Destin_d’Amélie_Poulain. ↩︎
  6. “Jean-Pierre Jeunet.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 July 2026, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Jeunet. ↩︎
  7. “Vince Guaraldi.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Aug 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Guaraldi. ↩︎

Monoprint, Sketch Piano Composition, 2007.

Posted on August 4, 2026 by -

While going through some old audio files, I discovered this sketched piano composition I recorded in 2007. It was performed live on a Kawai baby grand piano. Although the audio file recording was titled Monoprint, I do not recall its significance or intent. Listening to the track years later, the sketch seems nostalgic and slightly melancholy, with some basic elements of classical, ragtime, and jazz explored. It features a somewhat interesting walking bass line at times nicely balanced by melodic and lyrical turns.

Monoprint employs a relaxed tempo, with some slight, unfortunate hesitancy and pauses as I transitioned between sections. At times, the sketch delves into a swinging compound rhythm with extended chords that frequently lean into major 7ths, diminished transitions, and classic jazz cadences that resolve with a less contemporary warmth. The track begins with soft, sparse block chords that establish a quiet, contemplative mood. This minimalist introduction transitions into a flowing melodic line marked by gentle arpeggios, syncopated chord placements, and a mix of expressive and somewhat awkward pauses that a more seasoned performer could easily overcome.

My best guess for the title Monoprint is that it had something to do with color theory—which I am much more knowledgeable about than music theory. For instance, secondary dominants and “chromatic”1 passing tones give the recording a classic “storytelling” quality. The sketch resolves with a quiet, lingering chord.

Media

Footnotes

  1. “Chromatic” may refer to color [chroma] or a musical scale [the chromatic scale moves entirely by half steps, or “semitones” across all twelve pitches in an octave]. ↩︎

DTTR, Sound Montage, 2026.

Posted on July 20, 2026 by -

The audio track DTTR was produced using a handful of digital techniques, samples, and software packages. The composition first began while experimenting with an Apple iPad app called “Figure” developed by the pioneering Stockholm-based music software production firm Reason Studios.1 With a highly visual interface, Figure was designed to allow users to quickly create “an addictive beat” or “lay down a beefy bass line while waiting for the bus to arrive.”2 To accomplish this, the designers at Reason created a highly simplified “low-fi” interface around three sonic parameters: drum, bass, and lead.

After generating a core audio motif using Figure, I exported the final audio file and imported the sample into a desktop audio editor, and mixed it with various instrument and voice samples. Some of the voice samples were generated by yours truly, and others were sourced from the internet. One internet-sourced sample, which appears throughout the composition, features a sci-fi-like voiceover that states, “Use the location system to find your next objective.” My thought was that this might serve as a cue for listeners to be creative: the location system being one’s cognitive capacity, the next objective being a “project”3 of some kind.

The acronym DTTR used in the title was intended to have multiple meanings. A sample that is featured prominently in the montage is from the well-known American hymn “Down to the River to Pray.” DTTR may thus stand for “down to the river.” It might be noted that the exact origin of this hymn is unknown. An early version of the hymn, titled “The Good Old Way,”4 seems to have been published in the late 19th century.

The lyrical quality of the samples from “Down to the River” (sometimes titled “Down in the River”) is contrasted with electronic beats, samples, and various melodies. The last section of DTTR features a self-composed Flute Organ melody that attempts to bridge this melodic-electronic divide. Along these lines, a Google search for “DTTR” reveals a series of mostly technical usages (ex: Detecting Text with Transformers, Device Time To Repair). In somewhat trendy fashion, DTTR could read as a disemvoweled iteration of “deter.”

In terms of genre, DTTR might be best categorized as lo-fi hip-hop, synthwave, or “chill.” It was produced at exactly 100 bpm and has an atmospheric, nostalgic, and subtly futuristic vibe. This mix of sounds was likely influenced by hip-hop and synth-pop from the 1980 and 1990s. Short, rhythmic synth stabs and light arpeggiations give the track a gritty edge.

One key influence for the track might be the eclectic French duo Air.5 In the early 2000s, I attended a live symphony accompanied performance6 by the French duo Air while working on a photoshoot in Los Angeles. Air’s music has been described as space pop (or “space age pop”).7

Media

Footnotes

  1. “Reason Studios.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 May 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason_Studios. ↩︎
  2. “Music Making Apps by Reason Studios.” Reason Studios, https://www.reasonstudios.com/mobile-apps. ↩︎
  3. Readers interested in broad notions of “projects” may be interested in my working literature review titled An Incomplete List of P-Words for Project-Based Pursuits. Available at: https://danvlahos.com/work/an-incomplete-list-of-p-words-for-project-based-pursuits/. ↩︎
  4. See: “Down in the River to Pray.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 July 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_in_the_River_to_Pray. ↩︎
  5. “Air (French band).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 July 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_(French_band). ↩︎
  6. This took place at the Hollywood Bowl. ↩︎
  7. “Space age pop.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 May 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_age_pop. ↩︎

Practice Room One, Improvised Piano, 2020.

Posted on June 19, 2026 by -

Practice Room One was recorded in 2020, during my time teaching in the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Department at Merrimack College. At the time, the VPA department had two soundproof practice rooms attached to the VPA teaching and office spaces. Each practice room was equipped with a full-size grand piano. Between classes, meetings, and grading, I would occasionally take an office break and play or practice a few songs on these pianos. This particular recording was initially made in response to a call for works for a themed virtual exhibition of student and faculty work, curated by Associate Professor of Theatre Kathleen Sills.

The style of this track is largely inspired by improvisational works by the American jazz pianist and composer Keith Jarrett.1 I was first introduced to Jarrett’s work as an undergraduate student in art school, when one of my instructors prompted us to listen to Jarrett’s work with our eyes closed. While listening to tracks from several of Jarrett’s solo concerts, the instructor asked us to generate abstract, responsive, expressive, gestural marks in pencil. In a somewhat abstract way, we were being asked to interpret what we heard and translate it visually. We were then asked to use that visual language to generate an integrated set of three mock album covers using principles of montage.2|3

Years later, while informally studying piano, I attempted to learn Jarrett’s famous solo piano improvised rendition4 of Over the Rainbow, which was first performed in Tokyo in 1984.5 After acquiring a copy of a transcribed score, my brother Jeff and I turned learning this piece into an informal competition. As best I can recall, Jeff won this competition hands down.

Compositionally, Practice Room One centers on an expressive, repeating chord progression or “motif” in the mid-to-lower register of the piano. That motif serves as the anchor. With this “anchor” in place, melodic lines ascend and descend into the higher and lower registers of the piano. This is akin to adding light and shadow to a visual composition. While a professional pianist would likely denounce my overreliance on the sustain pedal, the practice room seemed to cater to the blended quality of the chords. Along these lines, at Merrimack, I taught a course titled “Introduction to Visual and Performing Arts,” in which I attempted to explore notions of composition across multiple modalities and medium, and media.

Like some of Jarrett’s improvised pieces, this one is played at a slow, fluid tempo (rubato),6 meaning the timing naturally stretches and compresses with the emotional phrasing rather than sticking to a rigid beat. The final composition might be categorized as ambient-neoclassical.

Media

Footnotes

  1. “Keith Jarrett.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 July 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Jarrett. ↩︎
  2. “Montage (filmmaking).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 June 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montage_(filmmaking). ↩︎
  3. “Sound collage.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 July 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_collage. ↩︎
  4. Jarrett, Keith. “Over the Rainbow (Tokyo 1984) [Restored].” YouTube, uploaded by Music Video Vault, 29 Aug 2018, https://youtu.be/AyLQGDIrGcI. ↩︎
  5. Jarrett also performed “Over the Rainbow” in 1995 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. This version appears as the final encore on his live solo album La Scala (released in 1997). A performance of “Over the Rainbow” also took place during Jarrett’s solo concert at Carnegie Hall on January 29, 2009. This researcher was in attendance for this last performance. ↩︎
  6. “Tempo rubato.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 June 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo_rubato. ↩︎