energy in motion

2016
sound installation

energy in motion is a bio-sonic exploration of vitalism through life-like behaviours of fictional cells. This piece demonstrates the dynamics created through chemical reactions on a microscopic scale. In this piece, the microscopic fictional cells drawn by chemical materials show some autonomous behaviours that resemble living cells, such as fusion and division. The cell’s behaviours are analysed and transformed into sounds via computation. This visual and sonic outcome is created by both the artist’s intention and the natural interaction of the chemical materials. The artist composes the visual elements of the cells whose behaviours generate sounds, and the cells themselves ‘compose’ others. Through a series of chemical reactions, the piece shows the diversity of the cell’s behaviour, including shapes, movements, and speed.

This project is focused on the movement of fusion and division as a life-like behaviour, inspired by recent research trends in artificial life, called protocells. Protocells are designed as an intermediate state of bodies between living and non-living. They are composed of non-living chemical materials and mimic some biological properties of life. The chemical behaviour gives us an insight into vitalism: the idea that both living/non-living matter should exhibit a sort of identity from their fundamental decision making and behaviour. This project is an exploration of what vitalism is made of. The simple shape of protocells gives us a realisation of the complex mechanisms of natural life.