Anna's Experiment

Anna Kell
Grad. Digital Seminar- science experiment-based art proposal

In the wild, many animals camouflage themselves with their exteriors. Certain rabbits’ furs become pure white in the snowy season, turtles’ shells conceal them among rocks and logs, and perhaps the most famous example, the chameleon, is constantly adjusting the color of his skin to better match whatever he is resting on. Even animals that don’t necessarily seem to be built for this camouflage feature do a great job of hiding in their surroundings simply by being very aware of their movements. Deer, squirrels, foxes and more are often impossible to see when walking through the forest. They can sense when we come near and they freeze in their tracks. Humans react in similar ways when in a dangerous situation or when trying to go unseen. Animals and humans have this natural inclination to stop moving when danger is sensed. Likewise, many predators, birds of prey in particular, see in a non-focused and all encompassing kind of way. They observe the terrain and what they are looking for is motion. Outlines of the animals from a distance cannot be seen, but movement is readily detected. This movement always clues a predator in to the location of their prey.

I am proposing an installation that relies on this movement-based decipherability. The installation would consist of a large viewing area, so that viewers could have an extended viewing distance for what would be built near the opposite wall. I am envisioning a wall of pattern, which would cover the opposing wall. Just as in the wild, animals’ markings seem based on their natural surroundings, this pattern would be a kind of all over pattern somehow indicative of our culture. Maybe that would be made with images of scanned skin and other colors/textures which would seem instantly relatable to our surrounding environment, or it could take the form of an all over image. A soundtrack could be useful, too, for contextualizing the event into some type of nature/culture scene. This is a piece with many possibilities, depending on the location of installation.

This image wall would span the height and width of the wall, and directly at its base would be a mechanized track. Attached to this track, much like a train car, would be a very specific shape (at this point is yet undecided), which would stand vertically on its car attached to the track. Every so often, the train would lurch into motion. This mechanism, however, would be activated by a lack of kinetic motion, and would become more active the further away the audience is in the room. Like a scared animal, this shape would freeze if someone violently entered the room, or walked rapidly around. The more still and distant the viewers can be, the more they will learn about the shape in motion.

The idea would be that the viewer’s senses would be alerted by their own lack of movement. Hopefully, like a smart predator, they would become interested in trying to see the shape in motion. I think this installation would work based on communication between viewers. The first people to walk into the room when it has been empty, will be especially informed because as they round the corner, they will perceive all the motion that is happening on that wall. They will know what is going on and many viewers would probably feel inclined to let newcomers in on the secret as well. So, in one sense this project relies on social interaction, and in another, it relies on the ability to be a passive individual. I am always interested in the idea of adaptation. Mainly this stems out of my own tendencies to want to please others, to become who I am with, and to need to feel accepted. Aside from my personal associations, I think this piece has a lot to say about the group and the individual. In order for any individual to locate his/her prey, s/he must communicate with the entire group or be totally solitary. The prey in this piece is the moving shape, but unlike in the competitive nature we are accustomed to, within this constructed environment everyone relies on each other for survival, and the end reward is shared by everyone.