Chronoscape 2023
Using amongst others 3D modeling and printing the totem consists of a clock mechanism, a monitor, and hidden video camera. It is a symbolic representation or embodiment of the concept of time and serves as a reminder of its flow, the impermanence of life or the cyclical nature of existence. Standing in front of it, the visitors speeds up the clock with their presence — the more they stand, the faster the hands spin, the ticking sound speeds up, their image on the monitor screen breaks up into pixels and disappears completely. When the visitors leave, the clock returns to the original local time position.
Source of Energy 2022
Kombucha SCOBY (a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is an incredible creature. There are many different myths and legends about this. Even one concerns its extraterrestrial origin.
Kombucha is also unique in that it cannot be accurately attributed to any biological kingdom, the bacteria present in it work with the body of the fungus in tandem only at the initial stage. Over time, they spliced their genome with the genome of the plant part, as a result of which Kombucha presumably initially functions as a symbiosis between a bacteria and a fungus, but then becomes a whole with a unique genetic structure of a fungus and bacteria.
But, back to Earth – adding the culture of kombucha in a sweet tea broth allows bacterial growth in there. Sucrose is converted, biochemically, to fructose and glucose, and these to gluconic acid and acetic acid. These processes are known as lactic acid fermentation and ethanol metabolism.
A light sculpture is made in shape of acetic acid molecule. The ba
Note: The text above was written by the Artist. No modification was made by COCA.
Alexandra Dementieva
Belgium
The idea of interaction between the viewer and an artwork, mediated by technologically progressive visualization methods, lies at the core of my work. In my installations I use various art forms on an equal basis: dance, music, cinema and performance. Akin to an explorer I raise questions related to social psychology and theories of perception suggesting solutions to them by contemporary artistic means, that is by taking a subjective stance behind a camera. My installations focus on the role of the viewer and his/her interaction with an artwork and bring forth ways of provoking the viewer’s involvement thus allowing hidden mechanisms of human behaviour to be revealed.
My research process happens here and now, in the increasingly technologized present, it is deeply rooted in cultural context. Photography and other digital media always record a trace, which indicates the former presence of something. Attesting to a certain event the trace at the same time enshrines the technology in use