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Live
crickets, glass, sand, microphone, video projection and
computer running a custom MaxMSP/Jitter patch
This piece was made possible through the generous grant of an artist residency
at Pilchuck Glass School
link
to downloadable hi-res images
Click
for movie (1.9 meg) |
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If
they could choose, where would domesticated crickets choose
to be? Living outdoors in the midwest winters is not a a
survivable option for Acheta domesticus (house crickets),
but perhaps they still yearn for the pastoral grasslands
and woodlands experienced by their wild relatives. Actual
nature would be a bit harsh for these crickets, who are raised
in climate-controlled tanks as food for reptiles, so I have
constructed a safe bubble for them. This enclosure provides
an artificial landscape and provides a simulation of motion
through it. Through the use of a computer interface, the
crickets are able to "interact" with their projected
environment by chirping. Each chirp advances the panoramic,
cricket-eye-view video footage of outdoor scenery.
Special
thanks to: Michael
Scheiner and Joe
Cariatti the superstar glass blowing gaffers. Thanks
also to Kami Meighan and Simon Maberley for their expert
advice and assistance in glass blowing, casting and cold working. And
a very special thank you to Ruth
King for the
invitation to be a visiting artist at the Pilchuck
Glass School.
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