Invisible cage
Andi Wang
This project is an experimental prototype of an installation artwork. By tracking individual’s movement, the flashlight rotates and point out individual’s location like a spotlight. But I would like to call it the invisible cage instead of fascinating automatic spot light to describe my feeling and understanding of this project.
Concept and Process
This project aims to explore and present a phenomenon that public privacy and freedom is violated under the technology-advanced modern society. To be more specific, we are trapped inside an invisible cage, which is the sensor itself. In this “habitat”, the sensor in this situation can be CCTV, GPS, browser history, etc, and I used motion sensor to express this concept. Due to the time and material limitation, this project is a mini model, please imagine it as big as a room.
This project is born during my testing of the first idea, the shadow theater. During my sensor testing process of the shadow theater, I remain the sensor and the laptop connected and the sensor tracked all my movement. This action reminded me of the camera surveillance and all other sensors that record our daily movement, therefore I change my idea to this invisible and abstract cage.
Although the sensor is the cage itself, the shadow still has it meaning in this project. When the light rotates, the stick hangs on the ceiling can form a shadow cage reflected on the wall. The shadow part is inspired by Rashad Alakbarov’s shadow artwork.
However, during my testing, the shadow didn’t achieve the effect I expected especially when the light is moving, it is difficult to control the reaction. Therefore, I got rid of the shadows for the final submission but I may improve it later. The video I submit contains my shadow testing in order to show my idea.