Kärt Ojavee, Eszter Ozsvald: SymbiosisS
Artist(s):
Title:
- SymbiosisS
Exhibition:
Creation Year:
- 2011
Medium:
- electronics, felt
Category:
Artist Statement:
SymbiosisS is part of a collection of textile interfaces, SymbiosisO (“O” for objects), which behave as organic displays and react to definable impulses by showing pre-defined patterns that animate slowly over the surface. It welcomes viewers to sit and rest on soft-folded material that displays an active, slowly shifting pattern. When excited, the pattern starts forming, in a playful, curious way, around the place where the textile was touched. Once the disturbance is abated, the pattern continues its peaceful expansion. This vivacious interaction of a vibrant pattern is a demonstration of the potential for tangible textile interfaces. Ubiquitous computation –an active, programmable secondary skin to surround everyday objects – is an ambient, “noiseless,” and thus vigorous way to visualize information and form space. Production of SymbiosisS involves both handicraft and specialized digital fabrication. Electronics that activate a heat-sensitive coating layer are embedded in the soft structure. The substrate is felt, which has exceptional material properties (sound isolation, heat preservation, biodegradable, etc.). The geometry of the patterns is derived from Voronoi tessellation algorithms, which, in this case, intuitively suggest folding the material into a three-dimensional landscape. The general concept of the work is a tribute to the ultimate power of evolution, where not only human civilization affects the environment, but nature itself also reacts and adapts to these changes. Instead of criticizing civilization’s impact on the environment, the emphasis focuses on exploration of new types of mutant living beings.
