Reflections on my studio practise

While I have spoken about some of this before in earlier posts. I will quickly run through to recap and explain how I have reached where I am now within my studio practise.

While beginning Unit 2, I started experimenting projecting through clear balloons. I had hoped that the projection would go through the clear balloons, but it left dark shadows on the wall. I don't know why I didn't realise that it would do this, since this is what normally happens when shining light onto objects,  but for some reason I thought the video would pass through since the  balloons were clear, but it didn't!

I wanted to project a video based on natural generative elements of nature passing through balloons which people had previously blown air into, along with a soundtrack of their breathing sounds played randomly, merging the natural world with the individual's air,which could be seen to be merging individuality with the natural environment within a system. Since  the projection wouldn't flow through the balloons I started thinking on slightly different lines. Even though I found this really interesting at the time, it meant I wouldn't be able to do this. I then started looking for other ways to convey this idea.

 At first I thought of making a geodesic dome, since geodesic domes are well known as an artificial environment for growing plants, for instance in the Eden Project here in the UK.  I started pondering on ideas of having actual plants growing in the dome with the balloons of people's air in the construction of the dome, along with a video inside of natural generative elements of nature, that would also show a video of the dome being at the beach and in woodlands etc.

I thought this may work but something was bugging me. There was something that I had left out of this equation. I decided to take a break as I felt that I just couldn't continue, and then it dawned on me. It was so obvious, what was I mainly fascinated by, and what had I previously been exploring while doing my degree previously - artificial life forms!  Things then started to fall into place.

The artificial dome environment was in essence an artificial entity which would not be questioning itself, but would question you the visitor a biological life form, and so the person entering the dome would be the focus of the installation, well from the point of view taken from the artificial life form :-) I envisioned the dome made using clingfilm and balloons with wire, but since having a crit this gave me the idea to add glowing blue wire in vein like patterns which would connect to the monitor inside. This also solved the problem of having a monitor inside as this entity would be made of a combination of organic and non-organic materials. The balloons would now be part of the hybrid artificial entity and the only true organic form would be the visitor (viewer). Upon entering  there would be a sign on the floor saying - 'Enter alone'.  When inside you would view a video which would ask you questions in text format, along with showing you a combination of  random video clips of natural generative elements of nature with quiet breathing sounds. My intention is for the dome  entity is to be an explorer, since the tent structure has both a protective and exploratory nature.  In the case of the entity  a protective skin/structure which wishes to learn more about the natural world and its inhabitants :-)