Concept: Immersion of the Audience
I used the repetition of the spherical form in order to fill a distinct space with the installation, and offer an 'inside' from which to view it. I chose this because I find myself much more affected by art that I can be amongst, rather than outside of and looking at. I purposely chose a low hanging height, and an obstructive layout that required active navigation to pass through without hitting the globes. I did this purposely to grab the energy of a couple of 'natural' instincts I suspected might be at play, thus thwarting the indifference of a passing viewer. Generally, being paper, and when normally used, part of the decor that is not intended to be destroyed, a normal passerby would consider these paper globes somewhat delicate elements, and seek to avoid damaging them by contact. Additionally, this being someone else's 'art installation,' a natural respect for someone else's work would act to discourage any contact. Both of these social forces would encourage most passers to actively avoid hitting the globes. In truth I had no problem with people hitting the globes, and fully expected them to be destroyed in the installation. That said, I did want them to last in *some* form for the week. I guessed, that some people, perhaps, ahem, with not all their wits about them, might actually be drawn to hitting them around, so I went a final step and added a final element that added a perceived danger in contacting them...
Concept: Perceived Danger
In the special effects business, in which I have worked for many years, an effect is successful when it is invisible -- so natural looking, that the viewer isn't pulled out of, and distracted from the story the film is telling. After my Blade project, which featured prominent, obvious lighting that was designed to be difficult to ignore, I wanted to try my hand at a more subtle, film-like effect lighting. Using the power of the Lumieria Pixelite Engine (a 16 channel on/off lighting sequencer), I developed a installation program that would hold the lights mostly normally on, but would often cause a noticeable and sporadic flicker and dimming of different areas of lights, that would seem to spread, as if they were browning or shorting out due to faulty electric wiring. The effect I was after is reminiscent of the lighting in some third-world countries, where indeed, the substandard, dangerous wiring (by US standards) *does* this to the lights, as they crackle and pop in the wind, or rain. The dust that would invariably accumulate on the lamps during the week, would act to support this ghetto, third-world look. This was the final element, that would act to protect the lights from casual malicious damage, by threatening to electrocute anyone who got too frisky with them.
Execution
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Support
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Rope grid spider-webbed between guy lines to provide drop points at intervals
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Lights
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Chinese lanterns of differing colors, and sizes, lit with different color bulbs
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Power
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110V, provided by the cafe
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Control
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Lumieria Pixelite Engine, programmed with 'dangerous, shorting-out electrocution' sequence
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