phases (2017)
installation/video. 9'27"
original video made for the installation.
for phases, i aim to investigate the fluidity of computer generated data and the potential for description through image and /or sound. in this 9 and half minute long projection, 29 astronomy photographs of the complete lunar cycle (the moon at its different phases over 29 days) were taken from the nasa website (wright) and transcoded into sound waves as 24 bit raw data. these sound waves are subsequently used to generate graphic waves through processing, as coded from scratch to complete another cycle: image transcoded to sound and then transcoded again to image.
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from audio sonograms to the oscilloscope, there are many methods and reasons for transforming data into image. science historian peter galison argues that abstract visuals are often subject to interpretations by the trained eye (319). the pulsar map, engraved on the voyager golden records that was launched into space in 1977, is an example of abstract scientific imagery. the record was sent to outer space in hope to be found by extraterrestrial civilizations, but the image translated from binary data might only be legible within an earthly context and rather unlikely to read or interpreted in the way that was intended. this example demonstrates the dependency of data on an experience-based context. new media theorist lev manovich also sees the digital media as a platform for format transcoding and re-mediation (63). in recent years, raw data has become the material for numerous algorithmic artworks where errors and noise are brought to the foreground of production and aesthetically celebrated.
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works cited
galison, peter. “images scatter into data, data gathers into images”. iconoclash: beyond the image wars in science, religion, and art. cambridge, mass.: mit press. (2002): pp. 300-323.
manovich, lev. the language of new media. cambridge, mass.: mit press, 2001.
wright, ernie. "svs: moon phase and libration, 2016." nasa. 10 dec. 2015.
various projection set-up views
work in progress and shape experimentation.