Aquamediale is a local arts event that takes place in Spreewald, a protected wetland, in Lübben Germany. Ten artists are invited each year to install their work. My challenge was to create a work that would operate for three months under varying weather conditions and would be maintenance free. The location selected was a small island roughly 30sqm. The aim was to create a work that would rhyme with its surroundings, technically simple and would not disturb the islands other residents, nesting mother ducks. The duck houses were not part of the installation. This was the perfect opportunity to develop further my interest in Off the Grid autonomous artworks. Using eleven adapted car antennas as plants and sunlight for energy, I wanted to mimic the growth of plants, to learn from nature's process. Attached to the end of each antenna was a magnifying glass that was purely aesthetic, a flowers head that attracts and uses sunlight to distort for its own purpose. The installation was battery operated and charged via a solar panel. An arduino micro-controller puppeters a choreographed sequence to each antenna. Carefully balancing their need with the available electrical food stored in the battery. The relationship between supply and demand must be accurate to ensure daily growth, especially due to the varying environmental conditions. update: The work functioned without issue for 3 months, July August September. Weather conditions varied from the occasional bright & sunny to rain and mostly cloud covered days. - island - 2012 - site specific -- mixed media - solar panel - electronics- electric car antenne - battery |