CURRENT DRIFT is a kinetic light installation that draws on the dual meaning of "current"—the fluid movement of ocean tides and the invisible flow of electrical energy. A large fabric surface shifts between states of tension and softness, animated by waves and vibrations that mirror both natural currents and electronic pulses. Light and motion are composed in tandem, creating an immersive experience that drifts between the organic and the synthetic, the silent and the charged.

Inspired by the sensory experience of diving, this project maps a descent into a submerged world—where perception is altered, and every sound or movement feels amplified by the surrounding medium. The choreography of light and motion mirrors this journey, creating a space where viewers can lose their grounding and drift with the current, both aquatic and electric.

Image cr. Angy | Video cr. Ada

Perspective and Context

• Andreas Broeckmann – Toward the Art and Aesthetics of the Machine

Broeckmann describes a kind of poetics of machines—where timing, rhythm, and pattern create meaning beyond efficiency. That idea encouraged me to think of current drift less as a kinetic object and more as a system with its own expressive language. The slow release, sudden tension, soft vertical waves, and staccato-like vibrations in the fabric are all carefully timed movements that aim to produce emotional and perceptual shifts, like breathing patterns or underwater pressure changes. 

Development & Technical Implementation

1. Fabric 

I spent about a third of my time deciding which fabric to use. Many intriguing options didn't work under the harsh light of the LED PARs. In the end, I chose blue gauze because it responded beautifully to both motion and color, and it matched the poetic aesthetic I was aiming for.

Throughout the process, I explored a number of unexpected directions that strayed far from my original proposal. I enjoy “surprising” myself along the way—I think that’s often where the most interesting moments come from. But after some back-and-forth, I ultimately returned to my original plan, as I couldn’t quite find a meaningful way to integrate the stranger materials I had experimented with.

2. Arms

• I used two servo motors like two little arms on two edges of the fabric to shake it which allows different ranges, speed, directions and combos of two.

• The biggest challenge was to fix the motors on the very thin round stick that holds the fabric. Even with customized, 3D printed mounts, it still rotates over the stick. The eventual solution was to use two zip ties and (Dalin's idea!) with something like cork to create a flatter surface and add more resistance. 

• Many details are different from the demo and the actual installation so I didn't see many potential problems that came later: 1) The correct way to realize my proposal is to rotate the stick instead of the fabric since I wanted horizontal waves to make a difference from more work that has been done with vertical waves because the final fabric was way softer and bigger. 2) I'm fixing the motors on the stick that itself isn't even stable, literally like what Denny did and I laughed at :/ so the range of the servo can't reach the max because the counter-acting force keeps pushing the stick in another direction.

• Tho not exactly like what I proposed, I was comforted by people being interested in two little "arms" on the side. The vertical waves turned out to be beautiful in their own way, and I’m glad I discovered an alternative method to create horizontal movement—one that worked well with the softness of the fabric. 

3. Lifter

• I used a stepper motor, spools and fishing wires to create a lifter.

• At first, I tried using two stepper motors—one at each end—but I couldn’t get them to stay perfectly in sync. So I switched to a single stepper motor placed in the middle, with two spools on either side. The wires were routed in opposite directions to lift both ends evenly. I needed to design a spool with two channels for that.

• Getting the stick to stay perfectly horizontal was tricky—I tried many times to balance it just right. But in the end, once the piece started moving, I realized it didn’t matter that much. 

4. Programming

link to the code

• Compared to addressable LED light strips, I think the DMX system is way easier to communicate. Under the structure of the example code, I just needed to assign each light some colors and dimmers with a certain timing. Almost felt like talking and assigning tasks to humans. The language is quite straightforward.

• The servos and steppers were also easy to code. Just needed to make the timing align. But honestly, I would like to make the timing not align and the combo/effects more generative as well. 

Presentation

Image cr. Angy

Conclusion

"Anything that moves will break." Indeed, once things become kinetic, much more details to pay attention to. My sketchy way of doing things won't pull through. I learned so much about how to make an installation legit. 

Some audience were really confused why it was just a canva, but I was glad that this project allows me to explore within such a simple and elegent material. I like the freedom from the restrictions. 

I always feel that when making a visual project, I really want to surprise myself. Without that, there's way less fun. I'm glad I had a taste of surprise in the horizontal vibration part. Felt blessed.

If I had a chance to do it differently, I would build a more reasonable mechanism on the servos despite how cute the two little arms are right now. I think it's important to not let the force being absorbed by the wobbly stick.