aurelia [electric picnic '08]

[Body & Soul Village, Electric Picnic, 29th - 31st 2008]

Overview

A nocturnal audiovisual installation featuring airborne, electroluminescent jellyfish moving within an immersive seascape-like environment.

Details

The installation will feature between 3 and 5 silicone & latex jellyfish ranging from 50–100cm in diameter floating overhead at heights of between 3–12m. Each individual jellyfish will be illuminated by integrated multicolour LEDs which will be programmed by microcontrollers to pulse and flash according to generative patterns. The jellyfish will also be dyed with purple UV pigment and illuminated from below or from the side by UV lamps, giving them a bright, ethereal glow.

A sense of depth will be created by having jellyfish of varying sizes positioned at different heights. Each jellyfish will be anchored to overhead cables by a thin black bungee cord, and tethered to the ground via black monofilament cable. The point where each cable reaches the ground will be concealed by a hollow faux-’rock’. These rocks will be finished to resemble oceanic rocks covered with molluscs and seaweed. Each of the rocks will have a couple of illuminated kelp growing from them. The rocks and kelp will both conceal the cables and prevent people from walking into them. Motors within the faux rocks will pull and release the cables in a manner that make the jellyfish appear to be swimming overhead.

To create a more immersive and sea-like environment, caustic water effects (by Tim Redfern) will be projected onto the ground beneath the jellyfish, and an ambient soundscape utilising elements of white noise and alpha waves will be diffused through a number of concealed speakers.

Concept, design & development – me
Design – Erin
Electronics, Sound design – Brian
Sculpting, materials, design – Edwina