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.
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