Perennial (Daffodil)

Inspiration & Ideation

Background

I have always been fascinated in how storytellers from the American South utilize exaggeration and metaphor to blur the boundaries of authenticity and embrace duplicity. This work follows in this exploration and is about the lengths that a human will go to in resisting the passage of time, and the absurdity within the futile act of trying to preserve a fleeting moment and memory. This work is about walking the boundary between magic and tricky, and how we could (should?) fool ourselves into trying to hold onto every special moment, and making every moment special. This project utilizes Pepper’s Ghost which is an illusion technique from the mid 1800’s used in theater, amusement parks, and later in cinema, often to trick viewers into thinking they experienced ghostly or mystical phenomena.

Process

This piece began by spending time observing the perennial flowers found in my yard throughout 2022. I filmed them in front of blue fabric, and isolated the flower from the rest of the environment in Adobe Premiere and After Effects. I then took 3D scans of the earth from where each flower grew. I had those scans 3D printed and covered with a vacuum formed image of the grass that surrounded them. The Acrylic pyramid was designed in Rhino 3D and laser cut to create the needed dimensions and angles for the Pepper's Ghost illusion.

More info about process, if desired...

Results

Info and images of final work for exhibition. Can leave this out until ready, if necessary.

Tools

Digital

Software:Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Autodesk MeshMixer, Rhino 3D, Makerbot 3D, Revo Scan

Hardware:Revopoint POP 2 3D Scanner, Boss Laser Cutting/Engraving Machine, Makerbot Replicator 2 3D Printer, Macbook Pro, Television, Media Player, Vacuum Forming Machine, Table Saw, Shopbot Milling Machine, Metal Shear

Physical

Television, Media Player, Vacuum Forming Machine, Table Saw, Shopbot Milling Machine, Metal Shear

Materials

Looped video, 46" LED Television, Plastic, Metal, Wood

Future / What's Next?

This is the latest iteration of a series of works attempting to capture a moment in time in both an absurd and magical way. I am working on multiple pieces using the idea of the perennial flower as a metaphor of a fleeting moment in time that we yearn for. These moments are elusive and get altered when trying to repeat them in our minds. Some of these newer works are looped videos of time I spent observing these flowers, repeated as low resolution holograms created by LED fans.

What are future applications of the project, or where do you expect this work to go next?...