Week3: Artwork Selection – Pulse Room

Artwork selection — Pulse Room (2006)

The Chosen Art Work

This week we are tasked to pick one artwork from our selected artist. Out of so many of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s artwork, I really love his work ” Pulse Room” done in 2006. It is interactive, mesmerizing and at the same time meaningful.

Pulse Room

Techniques/Medium

  • incandescent light bulb
  • voltage controller
  • heart rate sensors
  • computer
  • metal sculpture

Description

It is an interactive art that consists of 100-300 light bulbs hanged by cables that are 3 meters above the ground. In a dark room, bulbs filled up the entire room in a consistent manner. There is a sensor placed in the room before the field of light bulbs. It recognizes and traces the heart rate of the participants. After which, the pulse is detected by the computer and is transmitted to the closest bulb in front of the participant/sensor, replicating the rhythm of the heart palpitation in the form of flashing light. After registering the palpitation rhythm, the whole room went dark briefly and the recorded flashing light palpitation goes forward by one position down the queue. Each time a new participant touches the sensor, the new palpitation pattern will push ahead the existing ones, showing the most recent palpitation pattern. All the way till it is out of the sequence and dissipates (Hemmer, R. L., n.d.).

Concept

The rationale and idea behind this installation are to explore the concept of our existence and the meaning of life. Every individual is being represented by a light bulb that is uniquely flashing in the rhythm of heartbeat that only belongs to the individual. As it progresses, the room is filled with many people’s heartbeat, which represents a community. As time past, each individual’s initial pulse will eventually be gone and being replaced by the new participant’s heartbeat. The artist wanted to make use of technology and different medium of light and kinetic to allow the participant to make their own connection and interpretation of this piece (C.A., 2014).

Personally, I find this artwork very impactful as it closely mimics the cycle of life. How we are born into this world and slowly lost and immerse ourselves in our hectic everyday life with the others. Eventually coming to an end without noticing and is being replaced by “new lives”. It makes me reflect and ponder a lot.

Quotes

In some of Rafael Lozano’s video interview, he mentioned,

” It is only through the activation of the public that the project exists in the first place.” – Rafael Lozano

” What I talk about is relational specific, so my works try to establish constraints which are developing a performance on a particular site of space that is portable, as it lands at another place, the public reaction could create another piece. Hence the outcome of not knowing what’s gonna happen.” – Rafael Lozano

“My work often uses technologies, not because its something that’s new, original or futuristic. But rather precisely its natural because its inevitable. ” – Rafael Lozano

Conclusion

From this artwork, it involves some of the concepts that are mentioned in the first week regarding Interactivity. One of them is:

Cybernetics–The balanced relationship between human and machines. In this case, of how human sending a pulse message to the machine(sensor > computer > light bulb). How the machine received the message, reacted and replied by recording and translate to light flashing rhythm for the viewers to reflect upon this entire artwork.

Very similar to one of the works mentioned in class, Nam Jun Park’s Magnet TV, 1964. Whereby viewers are now encouraged to interact with the artwork, if there is no participant to interact with the artwork, the artwork will not exist or be complete. Exploring the relationship between human, art, and technology. Hence, I have picked this artwork and will further elaborate it in my final hyperessay.

 

Bibliography

C. A. (2014). Connecting Realities: Rafael LozanoHemmer’s Pulse-based work. CITAR Journal,6(2), 21-28. Retrieved August 31, 2018, from file:///Users/admin/Downloads/117-489-1-PB.pdf.

Hemmer, R. L. (n.d.). Pulse Room. Retrieved August 31, 2018, from http://www.lozano-hemmer.com/pulse_room.php

Week 2: Artist Selection – RAFAEL LOZANO HEMMER

Week 2: Selection of Artist

This week, we are tasked to research and pick an artist whereby their interactive artwork is related to either the theme of interactivity, hypermedia or immersion.

After some research, there are 2 artists that really caught my eye, Scott Snibbe, and Rafael Lozano Hemmer. Both of them have a very distinct style of their own and it is really difficult for me to decide who to choose from.

 

  • SCOTT SNIBBE
Scott Snibbe

He is an interactive artist and a pioneer in augmented reality and gesture-based interphase. He has held more than twenty-five patents, with his interactive art in the collection of MoMA and other institutes. He is also an advisor to The Institute for the Future and The Sundance Institute.

Most of his works include viewers interacting with digital projections. Through his interactive works, he aims to promote awareness of the complex idea of wanting his audience to understand the world by itself. Without any preconception of the existing world and its phenomenon. His work focuses on the importance of interdependencies between human and our environment, with some influences of the Buddhist philosophy.

What I really like about his works is that he uses really simple interactive means of digital projections without any fancy installation. With the combination of simple graphics in conjunction with the audience interactivity, he is able to express very meaningful, deep, complex ideas and concept that I really like. It sparks me to pause and question myself and about the world when I saw his interactive artwork.

Impression
Cause and Effect
Falling Girl

 

  • RAFAEL LOZANO-HEMMER
RAFAEL LOZANO-HEMMER

On the contrary, Rafael Lozano has a very different style in terms of his interactive artwork. Rafael Lozano is an electronic artist that create interactive installations by integrating architecture, performance and using technologies such as telematics network. He received B.Sc. in Physical Chemistry from Concordia University in Montréal, Canada and is an artist with many exhibition experiences and awards.

Unlike Scott Snibbe, what I really like about his works is that his works have a variety and uses different platforms as a medium. His works also include large-scale installations that require public participation and looks magnificent. All of them look really interesting and allows audiences to have the space to have their own interpretation of his installation’s intended message.

Pulse Corniche
Please Empty Your Pockets
Third Person

 

In the end, I decided to go with Rafael Lozano as his works explored and experimented with more variety of mediums and concepts. Ranging from small to big scale which is able to allow the viewers to have a different experience. At the same time conveying a certain meaning behind his works to his audience. Hence, I preferred his works and would like to further analyze his work in the hyper-essay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

Hemmer, R. L. (n.d.). Artist Biography. Retrieved August 22, 2018, from http://www.lozano-hemmer.com/bio.php

S. S. (n.d.). Scott Snibbe Biography. Retrieved August 22, 2018, from https://www.snibbe.com/bio/