Outside
2018
Performance + interactive installation
Polyethylene, wood, extruded polystyrene, water, arduino, ultrasonic sensors, amplifiers, speakers.
Agoraphobia is defined as the extreme fear of leaving environments one knows or considers safe. It is not merely a mild discomfort; it can be an all-encompassing, debilitating, and physical sensation. To materialize this experience, I developed an interactive installation and collaborated with colleagues in film (Phat Ngyuen) and electrical engineering (Jason Modi) along with 3D design professor (Lou Pierozzi) and engineering profesor (Angelo Gero).
With agoraphobia as the theme, we brainstormed methods to visually convey its associated emotions and physical sensations. Complex concepts and emotions were simplified into actionable statements. One of the biggest challenges I faced during development was visually representing the pain of movement. For someone with agoraphobia, movement can trigger acute fear of an impending, undesirable event. But what is movement? To incorporate movement, ultrasonic sensors, transducers, and amplifiers were employed. As the subject tries to venture out and move toward the water, a visible reaction occurs in the water; the more the subject moves, the more chaotic the surrounding pool of water becomes. As I demonstrated the interactive elements, the installation naturally evolved into a form of performance art. Lighting, camera work, and post-production were crucial in documenting the entire performance piece.