LUMIBOLIC w/ Meredith Sattler
Interactive Art Installation
Presented and co-produced by Lerata & Arts Brookfield
Exhibited at Bank of America Plaza, Downtown Los Angeles
Exhibition Period: February 11th ~ March 18th 2016
Lumibolic is an interactive and occupiable environment shaped from hyperbolic paraboloid geometries. Its luminous surfaces are composed of strands of glowing EL wire that modulate their form and intensity in response to sound and motion inputs. Designed to generate dynamic visual vibrations inspired by the work of Op-Artists Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely, the piece visualizes relationships between site and visitor on a large scale.
Presented and co-produced by LERATA and Arts Brookfield, Lumibolic was selected for LA Skyline 2016 and has been exhibited at Bank of America Plaza, downtown Los Angeles from February 11th ~ March 18th 2016. During the exhibition period Lumibolic has been fully responsive to sounds and activities and has interacted with audiences and musicians including Aaron Gilmartin who held three performance sessions.
Inspiration and Form
Lumibolic consists of twelve half-hyperbolic paraboloid surfaces each housing twenty four strands of electroluminescent wire to create dynamic visual effects. The overall shape is derived from combinations of parabolic surface units creating movement and visual effects from different viewpoints. Each parabolic surface unit is composed by series of linear elements which can be turned on and off individually using electricity. By extracting the linear elements from the surface, the overall form becomes half transparent with various overlapping geometries which create visual perceptions of curvy surfaces naturally emerging and disappearing from various viewpoints.
Geometry and Assembly
The body of Lumibolic is a little over 13' high and deep, and a little over 19' wide. To generate the form, each surface was first distorted so that the straight edges form 2 of the 12 edges of a cube [12’ 10” an edge], which were then split in half to generate the geometry primitive. Two primitives are attached to produce a cone-like form, these are then mirrored to produce a four primitive double-skinned surface. The four-primitive surface is then mirrored to generate one side of the pavilion, and a third four-primitive unit is mirrored and attached to complete Lumibolic.
Interactivity and Visual Readings
The installation utilizes low electricity EL wire as its light source with a suite of sensors. These EL wires are strung within rationalized and rotated half-hyperbolic paraboloid surface frames that blur boundaries between exterior and interior. The layered half-hyperbolic paraboloid forms produce concentrations of light lines which express themselves as arching forms that modulate in front of visitors’ eyes as they walk around Lumibolic. From specific angles these lines may appear to cross through others, or appear more vibrantly as a result of optical illusions such as White’s, Haze, and Criss-Cross. Motion and sound sensors, positioned at strategic spatial positions, are choreographed to trigger crescendoing levels of dynamic lighting effects. These light patterns utilize several optical illusions to further experiences of dynamic visual vibration. When linked with musical performances,such as Aaron Gilmartin’s Saturday, March 12th evening performance,the light levels within the piece vibrate in patterns responding to fluctuating sound volumes.
Interactive Performances
Lumibolic I Introduction
LA SKYLINE 2016 @ Bank of America Plaza, Los Angeles