“Towards a Fading Signal”
2014
21′ x 9′
100 Electromechanical dot matrix display panels, Custom Video, Software and Electronics

Brief Description:

Inspired by literature that romanticizes the sea, I sought to create a dynamic installation that creates and displays poetry-like phrases that pay homage to human natures tethered relationship to the ocean.

Using various internet keyword searches to create a data pool of words to choose from, I then reassembled the words into 100’s of newly sampled lines of prose. I also did several scuba diving excursions, as well as, visits to aquatic institutions and science museums to capture the video segments used to transition between lines of text. Custom software was created to stitch the words together and dynamically layer the video clips into a random and ever-evolving display of thoughts and emotions about the mystery of the sea.

To translate the video signal, magnetic pulses are sent from the computer source, triggering each individual disc to flip “on” or “off”. When experienced sequentially, the kinetic mechanisms seamlessly display the video signal while mimicking the wind and water’s behavior with waves of sound and motion.

Collection: Quantum (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines)
Additional Project Support: Dan Henry (Programming) and An Chen (Design Intern)