The Latest Artists: proposal for Candela 2010

Proposal

The Latest Artists (Andrew + Deborah O'Malley) propose an animated lighting fixture inspired by their summer sojourn in New York City.

The proposed fixture comprises several overlapped, clear acrylic panels, each panel featuring an edge-lit, schematic representation of a single NYC Subway line. The overlapping collection of panels will together create an abstract representation of the iconic NYC Subway map, where each line is individually illuminated to create a dynamic display representing the arteries of the busy metropolis.

The fixture may also include an LED marquee sign, featuring scrolling text from NYC Subway message boards. Periodic playback of audio recordings from the subway system could also be incorporated; as could an interactive component, perhaps in the form of a card reading system which allows the audience to "swipe" various magnetic cards into the system and influence the animations.

To further the connection to New York, the panels will be cut there, taking advantage of our access to laser cutters at Eyebeam Art + Technology Center and NYC Resistor.

The finished piece will be wall-mounted, and framed to a size of approximately 12" x 18" or 18" x 24". The use of LED strips for the edge-lit panels will ensure the fixture uses well under the 60W maximum stipulated for the Candela exhibition.

Animated study

An animated study illustrating a time-lapse of the proposed fixture's behavior is presented below. This sketch does not include the LED marquee sign or additional components described above, but serves to demonstrate the general aesthetics of the fixture.

[ Please wait for the animation to load . . . if it freezes, please reload the page. ]

[ Source code: nyc_subway_sketch_02 ]

[ Built with Processing ]