The Fireplace - Installation

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Artist: Jack Lee

Title: The Fireplace

Date: 27-28 May 2023

Location: Metre Squared, London, United Kingdom

Interactive installation
Computer program, sensor, projector, speaker, furniture
Dimensions variable

Description:

Global environmental issues are often too enormous, abstract, and disconnected from individuals. This project aims to create an interactive installation that presents an individual’s environmental impact through digital arts. The floating black particles in this installation represent carbon emissions and pollution every individual creates. The particles grow with the audience’s participation, symbolising the extent of human activity to the environment. This installation could be a powerful visual metaphor for the ecological consequences of human behaviour and encourage viewers to consider how their actions affect the larger picture.

Contact:

Instagram: @jack.lee_design

Email: Jack.Lee@network.rca.ac.uk

I used Processing as the main programming tool to generate real-time visuals and combined it with other physical computing devices to collect external information. I mapped the projection in a fireplace frame and used an ultrasonic sensor with an Arduino board to detect the viewer's distance from the installation. As the viewer sit pn the couch and approaches the fireplace, the particles simultaneously enlarge. By moving forward and backwards, viewers can control the size of the particles, prompting a reflection on how our behaviour impacts the whole picture.