Title:
Specimen of Time, Tide
Year:
2024
Description:
“Specimen of Time, Tide” is a dynamic light sculpture that depicts the ebb and flow of the underwater ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef. Optical materials and light portray the sensory feel of the coral reef, while real-time tidal data alters the movement within the piece. Changes in tide patterns can disrupt ecosystems, affecting nutrient distribution, temperature regulation, and overall biodiversity. By depicting the tides’ ebb and flow in real-time, the sculpture highlights the changes these pristine environments are undergoing.
Enhanced with real-time tide data from the Great Barrier Reef, the sculpture creates a direct link to nature’s rhythms. As it represents the ebb and flow of the underwater ecosystem, viewers are immersed in an experience that reflects the pulse of our planet. Computer vision algorithms analyze real-time video feeds from the Great Barrier Reef, processing the data to extract information related to the tides. These algorithms identify changes in the video feed that correspond to variations in the tide, such as water movement and depth. This data is then translated into a dynamic light composition for the artwork, mapping characteristics of the tide onto the light sculpture’s parameters, including intensity, color, and movement.
“Specimen of Time, Tide” is part of a larger body of work called “Specimens of Time.” This series showcases generative sculptures that use optical materials, light, and real-time data to immerse viewers in moments of transition and real-time changes in nature’s most pristine parts. Each sculpture represents a different aspect of untouched environments, including the rhythmic tides of the Great Barrier Reef, the radiant light reflecting off Antarctic glaciers, the pure air of the Amazon rainforest, the crystalline waters of New Zealand’s Blue Lakes, the vibrant wildflower blooms in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge, and the enchanting dance of the Northern Lights in polar regions like Norway.
Bio:
Maja Petric is a contemporary artist who has been creating installations and sculptures using light and advanced technology since 2001. Her work explores how our existence is interconnected with nature, and she pushes the limits of new media to elicit these connections viscerally. She has exhibited her art internationally at renowned venues such as FOR-SITE, Henry Art Gallery, and Farol Santander. She has been commissioned by Meta, Microsoft, Google, National Geographic, Amazon, Landmark Hong Kong, and Seattle Airport. Petric has received several prestigious awards, including the Lumen Prize for Art and Technology. By collaborating with computer scientists to develop custom new media, her work has been featured in scientific publications and conferences like NeurIPS and ICCV. Petric holds a Ph.D. in Digital Arts and Experimental Media from the University of Washington and a Masters in Interactive Telecommunications from New York University.