Thoughts on some questions...

Well, I'm back and ready for the new semester & all that it holds!!! Over the holidays I had a chance to reflect on the point that my studio was at when I left and where I aspired for it to be starting up again here in January and also looking forward to April. A long list of questions were presented to us on Friday so consider over the weekend...some of which I have put deep consideration into and others which I either do not know how to answer right now or am not sure how to interpret with the information my machine is providing me with or inspiring me with....anyways, here is the beginning...

How does the machine engage with the environment?

Ultimately the machine & the environment would work together to create a space or structure. They would function by making use of the limitations of the other therefore creating boundaries from one another, basically there would be a mutual harmony between them.

Does the machine project into space?

Right now I find it easier to think in terms of the 'machine' as the creator of space rather than the inhabiter. This could be in the form of light or through a method of extension, both of which were explored last semester. The complexity of the final product would be a result of time as a layering effect would begin to form. The purpose of letting the machine project to create the product would be that it would communicate its intention without human translation or intervention...rather interruption...the result would be literal and pure.

What is the spatial behaviour of the device?

The machine provides a view of the relationship between the upper and lower spaces associated with itself. Behaviorally in terms of space it is limited to where it can travel within an area according to the conditions of the ground plane. Because of this the upper antennae are also limited because they can only travel where the legs take them. Spatially its behaviour is to claim, invade, interrupt and transform an area occupied by darkness through the introduction of light.

How does it claim space?

The machine claims its space physically, in the moment, by simply being present - similar to any other concrete element, but it also leaves traces of behaviour that inhabit the space as well as an inticipation of movement that occupies an area without the machine having even move yet, basically it has presence.

What are its spatial conditions?

The machine needs a space that gives it the freedom to create. Walls have always seemed to me as limiting barriers, or of less significance in terms of presence within the project, I've viewed them more as unnecessary elements. A ground plane and ceiling plane however suggest the definition of an area without necessarily enforcing it or limiting the machine.

How is time considered as a spatial condition?

The machine doesn't necessarily need time in the typical sense, in the sense of the passing of minutes. Its actions can occupy as much time as it is provided with. Small portions of time can be layered over one another to create the illusion of time.

What other spatial conditions need to be considered?

Currently what the machine requires is a relatively flat ground plane however the adaptation of the walking motion to another condition can be introduced by ways of considering pneumatics or some sort of shock absorbent system involving a fitting attached to the foot or an entire redesign of the leg and its functionality.

What is the condition of the system?

Technically three systems are working together to create the larger overall system. The original mechanical system is in place which allows the movement of the legs through the motor and gears. The timer system is then incorporated onto the mechanical system manipulating its functionality in terms of timing, occurrence and overall capability of movement. The lighting system is then incorporated into the overall system. This system is independent in that the machine does not have to be physically active in order for the lights to appear yet their movement is a direct result of the other two systems working together. Therefore the effectiveness and capability of the system as a whole is a direct result of the smaller systems existing in harmony.

What are the characteristics of the space that it could inhabit?

I'm tempted to turn back to an earlier idea that I had involving the machine being partially submerged in water. I'm not exactly sure how this would carry out but the legs could potentially have some sort of capability to transmit information sensed underwater and then translated by the reactive movement of the antennae, which would in turn be given form through light...I have not completely developed this thought...

Alternatively I would like to find a space with characteristics involving the division of lower and upper space...or an area which is missing one of these components...or missing the components of side...overall I'm not completely sure...I want to visit the site to get a feel for what I may be drawn to.

The Dance

After receiving some critiques during the final presentation concerning the relationship of my machine and myself being somewhat representational of a dance I decided that I would take some photos of it and myself doing just that - dancing. It actually makes a lot of sense now that I think about it...the relationship between the machine and myself has been an unusual one, something that I never expected. It's weird to have feelings for a machine that go beyond it being an inanimate object...although this brings some of my original research concerning the blurring of machine and man into light again for me to investigate further. All I know for now is that I have been dependent on my machine for the past four months and now it relies on me for assistance to balance. Oddly enough while taking these photos tonight whenever I let the machine go, no matter where I was standing it came towards me....

The Accident...2am - 2 days before deadline

So after attaching most of the antennae I decided to take the walking machine on a bit of a test run, I have been doing after adding each component so that I could identify any potential problems gradually so as to not end up with many issues at the end. Everything was going great as it had been until the it lost its balance and slipped on the tile in the hallway crashing against the wall and falling to the floor....everything survived except for the front piece to the new foot component on the machine's right leg...dammit...

A re-make of the piece is currently being laser cut as I write this post as well as two entirely new feet which contain more material and less void space which I think was most of the problem for the breakage as can be seen in the photos. The piece that snapped was only 1/8" in thickness in a space that may be stressed quite a bit...I'm not totally sure...it could have simply been the force of the fall in general...either way, back to the drawing board!

base & disc system re-design - components

Other components that also received a re-design for increased functionality and general cohesiveness of the system as a whole were the base holding the motor/gear box in place between the two legs which was originally the yellow plastic pieces adapted with wire so that the legs would not slide out to the sides. Secondly the disc system needed to be rethought so that an exact amount of wire rods could be accommodated as well as all the wiring that needed to take place to run charges to the new LED system. Also space needed to be provided for the circuitry and battery packs to be mounted now that the feet have been re-designed.

The Foot Returns - Part Deux

As seen in a previous post I also decided to readdress the design of the foot so as to create a more functional piece directly suited to the needs of the component and the system as a whole. After the pieces were cut using the laser cutter I then assembled them to create the foot piece which attaches to the bottom of the original leg component, creating a sort of sleeve effect. The rods will receive some sort of an attachment, which is still to come, as well as a red rubber capping to finish the end which is not touching the ground surface.

Antennae - Part 1

The antennae on the top of the walking monster were the first component that needed re-designing as there were a few issues that needed to be resolved. The antennae design consisted of very thin steel rods with a lot of flexibility on which the positive arm of an standard red LED was soldered to the top end. The rods were then covered in a single length of clear shrink tubing to insulate the rod's positive electrical charge that would be applied from below. The negative post of the LED was then soldered to another very thin piece of wire and insulated to separate it from the positive charge. The thin wire was then twisted around the outside of the rod with the shrink tubing, therefore bringing the negative charge also to the bottom of the rod, yet keeping it separate from the positive charge. I was then able to weave the rod and the wire through the system of disks I had created containing many tiny holes the same size as the steel rod so that reconfiguration could occur or more rods could be added in the future. In total I decided to produce 8 antennae, each of which contained a positive charge and a negative charge which powered the LED on the end, therefore making it possible to draw with light.

Several issues needed to be addressed including the weight of the antennae as the plastic tubing and the large LED's caused each individual rod to flop over to the side. As a temporary fix I secured the bunch with a wire strapping which caused the rods to curve outwards creating a kind of flowering effect. Each of these issues will be resolved in the re-design....to come!

Cut Diagram

The first step in my re-building process was designing new components to be cut on the laser cutter in place of some original pieces as well as some previous elements that needed tweaking. I will explain each element individually but here is the diagram that was used for cutting as they all needed to be completed on the same day. The cutting diagram includes new pieces for the feet as well as the top piece of the body to secure all of the antennae in place....

The Foot Returns

Image of Time

A different depiction of the drawings I completed last week with the overlaying images, this image simply shows the areas in which the LED's spent the most time (red) to the least time (turquoise). The image not only tracks the lights in terms of location but it also captures an element of time within a still frame.

Translator II: Grower - Neat!

Something I thought was really interesting that I came across while doing some research the other night on grass and the idea of artificial grass. ---->

Translator II: Grower, by Chicago-based artist Sabrina Raaf, is a rover robot which navigates hugging a room's walls and responding to the carbon dioxide levels in the air by drawing varying heights of "grass" on the walls in green ink.

Grower senses the CO2 level in the air via a digital sensor. The more people in an exhibit space breathing in oxygen and exhaling CO2, the higher the grass line.

By the end of an exhibition, the bases of all the walls in the space will be covered with fine green lines which together resemble a cross-section drawing of a field of grass. This simulated grass is just like the grass found in nature: it needs CO2 to grow.

Watching the artistic output of a machine sensitive to its environment makes the people in the space more sensitive to their environment too. Besides, the piece demonstrates how much art institutions depend on visitors to make thriving spaces for new art evolve and flourish.

Fireworks Beside the Sea

(A Shore Point in New Hampshire)

Pigeons shot from the pavilion eaves
At the first explosion, fanning out over
The festive crowd avid for any violence
If only to see some rockets launched
Against the sea's wide darkness and silence.
A final rocket on the dark,
A constellation hovering near,
A momentary chandelier,
Lightened the summer shore of faces,
The land, the sea, the heavenly places,
And then winked out. Like burning leaves,
The slow debris rained down the air.
The birds that roved, affrighted, everywhere
Rained into the pavilion eaves.

Ernest Kroll

Overture: The Narrow Path Toward the Whole

(Page 1 of 4)

supplies obtained!

Three and a half hours later I have successfully picked up all the materials on my list! Aside from the miscellaneous stuff that I needed including a new soldering iron...mine saw better days before Montreal...I got the necessary supplies to make the adjustments on my monster beginning tomorrow.


Coming up with a new solution for attaching the metal 1/8" rod legs has always been something that I have been playing around with. I now have the kit I need to start tapping so that I can give the rod a threaded section, which can then be attached to a foot with a threaded hole.

I was also successful in finding some sort of a paint that has electricity insulating properties. After doing some research I found that paint with silicon dioxide or teflon worked as good insulators but after researching further I found a product for insulating connections between two wires, which should work well for what I'm doing in terms of coating the thin rods for the antennae.

I was also able to get 42 more thin steel rods for the antennae so I will be able to complete my original vision of having quite a large amount of grassy movement on the top of the monster. Also I got the very tiny super bright LED's that I determined I needed so that the antennae could be reduced in weight from what they are currently.

I will be streamlining as much as possible in terms of weight on the monster which will hopefully allow it to not be attached to a point or a line and be self contained with all of its components.

Here's the deal...

After my crit at the end of last week I had a lot to think about. Here I am with this wonderful machine that has the ability to construct spaces out of light within darkness, to be honest the whole idea of that freaks me out a little even though it's really something wonderful that I didn't expect to be so complex. The plan as of Friday was to begin the thought process to translate the movement and essence of what I have created with my walking monster into possibly something else. I spent the next few days doing research looking for some precedence and also trying to come up with a design of a new machine to build. After becoming completely frustrated and overwhelmed I realized that maybe it wasn't about creating something new but instead with perfecting something that already is so rich.

No matter what ideas I was coming up with this past weekend nothing seemed to be as dynamic as the walking monster at this point in time. Maybe the thought process for that needs to become a little more developed but I think it's a sign to me that I need to concentrate and not be so quick to run away from a good thing. Therefore I am sticking with my walking monster.

The next little while will be spent perfecting technical details that were either made as quick fixes or simply because I did not have the knowledge or resources to do them differently at the time. I will meticulously go through my machine and record different elements of function to see if there are improvements that can be made (I'm sure there always are) or a way I can maybe achieve something differently. I'm happy with this decision because I'm making the decision to stick with something and work rigorously on it.

The second half of my journey for the next week and half (my current plan!) is to work on how my monster is going to be contained. Firstly I just want to say that I'm not ok with the idea of 'containing' my monster per say...I'm going to be thinking of it more in terms of creating a smaller version of the environment which my machine holds potential to function how I am intending in. Ideally I would have the room to myself and have all the lights off...but we all know that that's not possible...so I will be constructing a sort of curtain system so that an area can be blocked off with simulated darkness, to create a suggestion of a dark environment.

Hopefully all goes as planned, it should be a busy week!