An archetype of associated relation
An archetype of associative relation from SHUYI CAO on Vimeo.
installation view
Concept:
Jakob Von Uexküll develops the bio semiotic theory in his most well-known book Umwelt, which has great influence on cognitive philosopher, roboticists and cyberneticists. Umwelt comes from German, meaning “environment” or “surroundings”. It is a “self-centered world”, both perceptive and receptive. Every species has its unique Umwelt when it interacts with the world, even though their share the same environment. The perceptual field of every single organism depends on its unique biological structure (eg.sense organ); it receives signal from the environment and responds to it as behavior.
As Jakob von Uexküll describes, the two perceptual worlds of the spider and the fly are absolutely uncommunicating, and yet so perfectly in tune – the web fabricated by a spider is precisely based on the visual deficiency of her prey. A fly would never see or know what captures her, while a spider would never see or know what she captures. The web represents our universe as infinite coincidences of this kind reciprocal blindness, while each of them completes the circuit of the subject and its object.
Does such a web represent the archetype of nature? With this question in mind, I wanted to create a web as an archetype of associated relation. Within this artificial nature, a web does not function as it is in the natural nature. It would capture the encounter of all kind of animals and mark the residue of the interaction.
My original idea is to install the web in the wild, let it interact with different animals at the sites. However, due to the lack of research, my experiments in the wild failed. I ended up with installing it in my studio as a white cube.
Materials:
Conductive threads; wires; alligator clips;
Resistor(10M); circuit board; Arduino board;
DFPlayer Mini MP3 Player for Arduino(http://tinkersphere.com/arduino-compatible-components/1964-dfplayer-mini-mp3-player-for-arduino.html);
Speaker(http://tinkersphere.com/audio/2097-large-8-ohm-speaker-4-inch-square.html).
Process:
- A swift with conductive thread
The first prototype of a spider web
I first created a web swift with conductive thread and LED light. The circuit will be completed when the thread touch each other and the light will turn on.
2. A measurable web
I stared thinking of a way of measuring where the spider go on the web (if there is one).
The second prototype of a spider web
I tried to build the web with one long thread so that by measuring the resistant, I will be able to see how far it goes. I then developed the web into different sections, instead of using only one thread. In this way I can be more precise.
I visualized the change of distance in processing with simple graphic.
3. A spider web instrument
I started to think about a more interesting way to translate the motion on the web into something else.
Instead of measuring the resistant, I create a capacitive sensor which will be triggered by human touch.
At first, I tried to create a “biological clock” based on the motion of animal. I made a prototype of gear clock with servo motor. But I didn’t like it. I think it is too symbolic.
And then I wanted to create a web instrument, like a harp, which will generate sounds depends on which section is trigger.
I stored sound files in the Mini MP3 player, each file links to a specific section of the web. A certain file will be played when the related section is triggered.
4. Install in the wild
Installation view in the Central Park
I tried to install the web in the Central Park and the experiment failed. The first lesson I learned about installing in the wild is that always make sure the power source is working! Also too, solder everything solid before you move them out.
Installation view at the fire escape at the East Villeage
The second time I tried to install at the East Village. It is a cute apartment at the 6th St, near the Tompkins Square Park. There are lots of pigeons hover around and land at the fire escapes everyday. However, the day planned to install was cloudy, and I learned that birds only land on the fire escapes when it is sunny. The next day, a quiet, beautiful, sunny morning. Lots of birds. The installation was good. Everything seems fine, except for no bird land on the stick. They hovered around, ate all the bread on the speaker without touching any wire.
5. Studio installation
Finally, I decided to install it in my studio. I smuggled branches from parks and streets back to my studio, and made each of them a metal bracket so that they can be attached to the wall.
Metal bracket for the wood
Inside of the speaker box
installation view
