Kinetic Light | Final Project Proposal | Yang Gao

PERSPECTIVE AND CONTEXT

CHOE U-RAM

Choe is a Korean contemporary artist who works with kinetic sculpture. Many of his works focus on the beauty of nature combines with kinetic art.

According to The Century of Kinesthesia,

‘concretiest/kineticists identified new technological materials with the new vision and the experiments with actual light and movement’.

Choe’s works show the force of nature with his aesthetic choice. Like Pink Hysteria(2018), Ala Aureus(2017), Una Lumino Callidus-Septem(2015), etc.

DRIFT

Studio Drift’s installations and interactive sculptures the relationship between nature/human/technology is key. ” They have many works that related to natures, space, and flowers. Their work highlight the ‘Force of nature and aesthetic choice’ that Guy Brett mentioned in The Century of Kinesia,

‘The working-out of natural processes was allowed to change the conception of the beautiful’

They also chose their space to contain the projects very well. For example, they hang MEADOW on the ceiling as a decoration light and used gravity and motor to create flowers blooming feeling.

For my project, I’m thinking to make a floral clock based on natural law. Choe U Ram and Studio Drift have many works related to nature, especially flowers. I got some inspiration from their projects and the mechanism behind it.

In addition, space they chose to display the installation also created a new dimension for the installation, which is also inspired me of how to use space to enhance the installation.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project is a physical floral clock based on Linnaeus flower clock using motors and lights. (based on the opening time of different flowers, Linnaeus put different flowers at 12 positions). It will be a clock shape and twelve different kinds of the flower are on the position of the 12 numbers. And flowers will open when the clock hands reach to the specific position.

1	2	3	4
Carnation	Afternoon Squill	Scarlet Pimpernel	Four O’Clock
5	6	7	8
Dandelion	White Sea Lily	Evening Primrose	Proliferous Pink
9	10	11	12
Gentian	Ice-Plant	Star of Bethlehem Flower	Common Marigold

Final Look Concept (It takes some time to load the GIF)

For the project, the audience can stand in front of the project and enjoy it. The flowers will be made out of paper/laser cut wood/fabric(like silk the Drift Studio used in the project) the center of the flower will contain Neopixel or other light that can change colors. The movement of the flowers is controlled by motors. The hands of the clock are made out of laser cut wood/acrylic and controlled by gears/motors.

For the mechanism of the project, I have three options currently.

1. Rotate 2 or 2+ certain pattern.

There will be 2 or more layers of the patterns, and each pattern will rotate in a different direction and speed, so it will look like flowers blooming.

2. Flower open physically. The petals will open using motors.