ECHOCHAMBER
VARIOUS
ARTISTS 2017
PHOTOGRAPHY
ARCHIVE
Featured Artists: Jeanne Briand, Adam Gibney, Fabien Leaustic, Helen McMahon, Rasa Smite, and Paula Vitola
Hello World by Fabien Leaustic
- 'Hello World' is a sculptural artwork which juggles between a naive optimism and a dark poetic stance. Activated by the presence of the visitor, the work points the drifts of the digital universe.
It leaves us to wonder about whether the evolution of digital technologies are actually beneficial or destructive to our lives. When the piece activates, it spells out a positive message until the 'O' disappears, leaving behind a more dystopian message.
LIGHT-NET by Paula Vitola
- Every communication device has three basic elements - the transmitter; the medium, through which data can be transmitted; and the receiver. The input required to make communication happen is the language or protocol.
LIGHT-NET is a primitive, small scale model which mirrors an actual internet signal. It transmits information through air using just a blinking LED light using a very simple protocol that could be easily decoded with a pencil and a timer.
LIGHT-NET is part of a series of artworks called 'Demystifying the Network' that explores different aspects of communication technology and tries to understand how they work.
Mirror Effect by Helen MacMahon
- 'Mirror Affect' is an interactive piece that plays with mirrored imagery using a combination of everyday objects and live digital technology. The work is in essence a visual echo chamber acting as a reflector and ultimately a distorter of visual data.
The viewer's image is filmed and projected onto a reflective screen appearing almost trapped in the woven material. This visual information, fragmented and distorted by the mirrored material creates a large abyss-like projection. This projection is also reflected and distorted creating an endless loop of visual noise.
The work introduces the viewer to a disorienting sensory experience, the mirrored projector screen serving as a form of social interface, embedding the activity of the spectators in the action of the installation.
Conundrum 8 - I Am Somewhere Between We and They by Adam Gibney
- 'Conundrum 8: I am somewhere between we and they' is a sound art piece which questions the political and personal use of pronouns. Playing a key role in the construction of the 'self' and the 'other,' pronouns help toward the creation and division of societies. Sonic-twitter feeds that include the words 'we' and 'they' are presented as a live calibration test for the 'self.'
Gamete Glass by Jeanne Briand
- 'Gamete Glass' is a sculptural installation of blown glass shapes which emit a soundtrack created from a recording of the artist's breathing. The glass gametes are a type of 'cyborg gamete' (A gamete is the male or female reproductive cell that contains half of the genetic material of the organism). These forms look almost functional but are completely fictional. The origin of the sounds they emit raise questions in the viewer's mind about their own real purpose or existence.
Talk to Me by Rasa Smite
- 'Talk to Me', developed in collaboration with artist Raitis Smits, is a plant communication project that encourages people to talk to plants. There are scientific hypotheses which state that communicating with plants can result in enhanced growth. In attempting to verify if this is a fact, various scientific experiments have been carried out.
This installation is a human-plant communication interface, through which people are asked to send encouraging messages through text and social media to the growing plants. Equipped with web-cam, wifi, and loudspeakers, this interactive installation introduces the idea of global connectivity between humans and other species. An online interface, in combination with a text to speech engine, allows exhibition visitors and online users to 'talk' to the plants remotely, uniting both species into one network.
