Each container holds a different material from which a different speed of time is derived: water, earth, grains, air. Each runs with a microcontroller, a sensor, a potentiometer, and a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD). Each VFD visualizes two registers of time: the top line corresponds to watch time (thus, all four display the same data); while the second line calculates a time based on change in the substance contained (thus, each is different).
These are speculative and playful sketches that push for a rethinking of homogeneous, linear time by focusing attention on vibrant materialities and polychronic or differential tempos of change.
Collaboration with artist Nik Hanselmann;
Exhibited at UC Santa Cruz, Digital Arts Research Center, as part of the installation Rice Child (Stirrings), 2011
© ELAINE GAN