Category: TypologyMachineProposal

The idea I have right now might be a little cheesy (not the best way to start a proposal, I know. But I do want some help in gauging this.)

The idea was inspired by how we can use polarization to reveal the internal stress of transparent materials. I want to ask a handful of people to collect their tear (small amounts: <0.5ml, in a plastic vial.) I’ll then transfer them on to microscope slides, freeze them into an ice droplet, and image them between two polarization filters on the light table under a microscope (or a powerful macro lens (at least 2:1.) I’m debating between photograph and video. Video might be cool since the pattern only exist in ice, so it will slowly disappear as the ice melts into water.

Test 1: stress of glass under polarized light. You can see the white pattern show up as I apply pressure on the stem.

Test 2: Ice cubes under polarized light.

Presentation ideas:

The idea is to metaphorically reveal the stress and emotion behind the tears and observe their slow dissolution as the ice forms into a tear drop. (To my knowledge, the polarization setup does not actually reveal the stress in ice, it should just be some optical effects that results from the surface of ice.) That’s where I feel a little unsure about this idea. The other issue is that the audience have to know the fact that a polarization set up is used to visualize stress in glass and plastic in order to follow the logic behind this piece.

I’ve also been playing with the polarization camera but haven’t found much use within the scope of this idea. But I’m still playing around with it to see if I can find anything else interesting to do with that camera.

The breath of sweet sleep, the breath of anxiety, the breath of talking to someone you have a crush on, or even the breath of making love? Every moment of breathing is a different pattern, a different physical experience, a time experience, and an emotional experience. Your breath is leading you, ahead of your judgment, it is essential, it keeps you alive.

Life starts with a breath. Baby’s breathing is the most standard, deeply inhaling the air into the bulging belly, and then slowly exhaling. Adults’ breath is influenced by complex experiences and interleaved thoughts, but we are barely aware of that.

My project is aiming at capture different breath patterns, (and possibly heartbeats patterns) by putting myself in different scenarios as a topology machine, in which I’ll reveal my mysterious life. It might go natural as the day goes, or go dramatic as I particularly look for. I carry a portable capture machine with me and record when I’m present to the moment/right after (to find a quiet place/when I’m not talking). My end result will be: scenario description + a series of audio + wave chart + drawing – so you listen, read and watch. That’s how we are going to communicate.

Ultimately, to question – if you and my breath and heart beating synchronize, are we closer to each other?

For this project, I am interested in creating a capturing device that is triggered by a particular event or behavior. Specifically I am interested in making a camera that takes a picture/short video of what I am looking at every time I say “Hell0” and “Goodbye”. I want to collect these and present them as either a book or video installation.

Perhaps it’s a bit of curiosity to what certain words “look” like, but I’d be interested in collecting enough images to be able to fine-tune or generate these things through the course of a couple of days.

What does a greeting look like?

What does a goodbye look like?

I am still not completely sure what this project will look like and if I will stick to this specific idea, but I am really interesting with observing the interactions I have with others in the world and how these instants look like from the perspective of data.

References:

Dear Data (specifically this page on goodbye’s, Week 52)

Lauren McCarthy’s SOMEONE

 

 

I plan on capturing spore prints from mushrooms found in Homewood cemetery. Spore prints are an almost self-capturing method mainly for identifying spores due to the color of the spores dropped from the mushroom cap. Spore prints require no extra methods of developing and reflect information directly from the mushroom.

I plan on using the spore prints in conjunction with data collected at the site of retrieval to contextualize where the mushroom was growing in relation to gravesites and the trees they were growing on. Trying to capture final reproductive stage of one organism next to a place of rest.

“Leonardo envisaged the great picture chart of the human body he had produced through his anatomical drawings and Vitruvian Man as a cosmografia del minor mondo (cosmography of the microcosm). He believed the workings of the human body to be an analogy for the workings of the universe.”

 

I’ve enjoyed the freedom of viewing this project from the prospective of an alien and observing human behavior more through an anthropological lens. I’ve been reflecting on Western cultures complicated dynamic with structure and order. In fact strangely enough, the drawing of the Vitruvian Man comes up when you Google “Western culture”. My goal is to capture a large number of strangers all throughout Pittisburgh (and perhaps beyond). With that being said, I would need for the system to be portable enough that I can setup at least throughout campus. Each video portrait should be a minute long and have all around better and more consistent lighting and framing between portraits.

I’m fascinated that once participants introduce lines and order into the frame, then our innate desire to control the image of ourselves inadvertently has an impact our behavior and stance.

I’m still exploring different ways of showcasing or organizing everyone’s self-portraits.

My idea is to capture curiosity.

I want to make a box people will peer into where a camera will capture their face. My current idea is to use a fish-eye lens, resulting in images like this:

I like the way the fish-eye lens distorts the face and is also shaped like an eyeball and the hole people would be peering into. I’m not set on this type of lens yet, though, and am open to developing ideas. I think this would work more so if I have a box hanging vertically on a wall with a big hole in it that people can look into. If I end up deciding on a box sitting on a table where people would open the lid, I think a different camera lens/look would be the better direction.

Another crossroads I’m facing is whether I prompt people to look into the box and reward them with something inside that’s worth their while. Does my box say “LOOK IN HERE” and have, say, a funny or cute photo inside?

OR is my box unassuming? Camouflaged? Just off enough within the environment to make people wonder what it is and go inspecting it?

In other words… am I trying to capture their reaction to the surprise? Or the curiosity itself?