VIS 147B Winter 2023

A Car With No Turn

Andrew Saroyan 

From the artist's take, the car is broken down, could’ve been crashed, glitched, or simply broken. The car is confused and lost so the screen portrays the car's dialogue. This requires it having a conversation with the user, asking questions, and going back and forth. Figuring out why it is in the current state that it lies in. Why is it in its current state? These are the questions it will ask you and it will go on a loop. I enjoyed this project very much and I am grateful to have taken on this task, and I will do it again.

Circuit Chroma

Eric Cai

 "Circuit Chroma" is a dynamic art piece that explores the intersection of technology and visual art. Utilizing a video mixer, a VGA signal generator powered by a programmed Arduino chip, an analog camcorder, a signal converter, and a projector, this piece creates vibrant and glitchy feedback loops that pulse with energy and color. Through its use of technology, "Circuit Chroma" invites viewers to contemplate the relationship between humanity and the digital world. The piece highlights the beauty of technology, while also exposing its flaws and limitations. Overall, "Circuit Chroma" is an innovative art piece that pushes the boundaries of what is possible with analog technology. It invites viewers to embrace the unexpected and revel in the beauty and complexity of the digital age. 

See Yourself

Carolina Yanez

We can say that vulnerability and perception are two concepts that can go hand in hand. This is something that I kept in mind when creating my project. See Yourself consists of a wooden box that has a mirror and an ultrasonic sensor on the front side. On the back side, we have an LCD screen. This LCD screen displays different messages which change according to what the ultrasonic sensor perceives. The ultrasonic sensor measures the distance between the person walking up to the mirror and the sensor itself. Once the sensor analyzes the distance, on the other side, the LCD would print out a message analyzing the emotion the person might be feeling. If a person is far away, the LCD will just detect the person as happy. But the closer the person gets to the mirror, just like in real life, the more vulnerable the message on the LCD screen will be.

Therefore, more negative emotions can be displayed the closer the person gets. As I mentioned earlier, vulnerability and perception can go hand in hand and that’s because if we are really close with someone, we are not ashamed of how we are perceived. We allow ourselves to feel more and demonstrate our most authentic selves. This is See Yourself. A project that allows you to become closer not only with the person in the mirror but with those around you.

Gaze

Hao Wang 

Everyone has different sides of themselves, yet we are often only allowed to witness the "prettier" aspects of others that conform to societal expectations. The oppressive mainstream culture's narrow definition of beauty has led to discrimination and peer pressure has left countless individuals feeling inadequate and marginalized. We all have our different sides and possess the potential to be beautiful. True beauty is not defined by societal norms, but rather by each individual's unique traits and characteristics."

In response to this dilemma, I have created a mixed-media microelectronic installation that deconstructs facial features, rendering them as vessels holding all the broken fragments within. The eyes, which vary in appearance, shake and gaze outwards, while the bloodshot eye on top confronts the people walking by. The tracking eye symbolizes the pressure to conform to societal standards that it stares at others while hiding its "imperfect" and "messy" sides away. However, amidst all the brokenness, the flowers that emerge from the cracks add life to this fractured human.

Nocturnal

Isabelle Ponts

Nocturnal stems from the idea of humans actively living at night rather than during the day. I wanted to explore how fashion could evolve within this environment. I intentionally used second-hand clothing, to simulate a new form of at-home alterations that may arise from these circumstances. Constant existence in darkness would increase the necessity for lights, and the potential for them to be incorporated into clothing. Through the LEDs, the jacket can also portray how the wearer is feeling. In a way, this acts as a “do not disturb” rendition, with colors and flashes signifying anger, sickness, happiness, and sadness.

Light Up the Future

Kelsey Liang

Light Up the Future is a paper lamp with imagery of two different ways the future is presented in the media. On one side are the very glorified, high-tech, futuristic buildings while the other side is worn down post-apocalyptic style infrastructure. These are the two utopias and dystopia that are often presented in sci-fi films, but it also raises a good question of where we are bound to be in several decades. One on hand, the rapid growth of infrastructure can allow for higher city skyscrapers and grander buildings, but at the same time, they are taking up resources that could've been used to help poor areas. This is already happening in many cities, where the center looks very polished and high-tech, but the areas surrounding it are lacking resources. These contrasting landscapes may not be two different future possibilities after all.

This piece is powered by 4 green LEDs and 4 red LEDs that can be controlled with a potentiometer. The paper cutouts are made of cardstock and held in place with an embroidery hoop.

Artificial Eden 

Lana Arcinas

I call this my Artificial Eden in imagining a future where microelectronics and nature intersect and create a way for humans to communicate with plants through electric signals. As an artist, I am fascinated by the intersection of nature and technology, and how these seemingly disparate worlds can be brought closer together to create something entirely new and beautiful. In my work, I explore the ways in which plants and microelectronics can be integrated, creating a hybrid ecosystem that blurs the boundaries between the natural and the artificial.

Beyond Skin Deep

Jinru Qiu

My art piece is a rotating sculpture that represents my critique of the societal pressure for eternal youth. It is an expression of my belief that society places too much emphasis on external appearance and social media, Using iron wire, tin foil, medical gauze, and newspaper, I constructed an avatar that symbolizes the superficiality of our obsession with physical appearance and the need to prioritize internal growth and self-improvement. To bring my artwork to life, I incorporated an Arduino stepper motor to control the speed of the avatar's head as it rotates from side to side, engaging the audience in a dynamic interaction with the piece. The motorized movement serves as a metaphor for the constant pressure to keep up with societal expectations and the exhausting effort required to maintain a facade of eternal youth.

Emotions Alarm Clock

Loc Bui

I made an alarm clock that focuses on the theme of alternative, another way. Unlike the regular alarm clock, this Emotions Alarm Clock only has one led light, and a matrix 8x8 led light in the back. It’s working with Arduino Uno and a real-time clock to activate the single led light in the front of the box. The time is set to signal when the led light turns on, it goes from a little light to brighter light to blinking. The concept of this alarm clock is to wake you up naturally by using led light or sunlight, you wouldn’t have to set multiple alarms on your phone, and wouldn’t bother your family, since it doesn’t make any noise. Only using led light to wake me up. I chose the color green since it presents emotions of harmony, growth, freshness, and energy. In addition, in the back of Emotions, Alarm Clock has a led light matrix 8x8 that shows faces from smile-natural-angry. The smiley facial expression means that I’m in a safe zone where I’m not gonna be late for class. The natural facial expression means that I might be late for class. The angry facial expression means that I need to hurry up and wake up because I am late for class. Overall, the Emotions Alarm Clock is an alternative/ another way to wake me up in the morning, and it wouldn’t make loud noises that bother my family. Furthermore, I hate sleeping with the lights on, so with this alarm clock, I would definitely wake up early.

A Glimpse of Temperature 

Sarah Thomson 

When going through everyday life our view of the world around us is dictated by our sensors. This piece was designed to make the viewer think more about their senses and specifically what would happen if one of their senses didn’t work the way they usually do. These eyeballs don’t see the world as typical eyeballs do. Instead, they give you a sense that humans have a harder understanding which is temperature. The eyeballs themselves sense the temperature around them and change colors to represent what temperature they feel by showing cooler colors for cooler temperatures and warmer colors for warmer temperatures. 

promise me, okay?

Tyler Felipe

My project explores the alternative sides to an emotional connection with a pinky promise. By doing so with an inanimate hand, a flexible LED filament, and a mirror, it shifts away from the idea of making close bonds with another person and establishes a commitment with oneself instead. I try to take something that is typically regarded as childish and propose another direction to making a promise; one that is more mature and reflective, done with a single person rather than two, focused on personal growth as symbolized with butterflies.

Whiskered Connections

Xiaoyi Zuo

Cats are mysterious and elusive creatures that can in fact represent the intricacies of human relationships. Built to demonstrate the complexity of the interpersonal relationships of people in modern society, this cat embodies the desire for self-protection and preservation that is ingrained in all of us. Even though they look like furry, harmless little things, their sharp claws and vigilant ears are symbols of the defense mechanism that we often use in order to protect ourselves from harm. Like the cat, we too have learned to guard our hearts and minds, wary of potential threats and dangers lurking around every corner.

Yet, despite our best efforts at self-preservation, we cannot help but be drawn toward others, seeking the warmth and comfort of human connection. This dichotomy between the desire for closeness and the need for self-protection is what makes the cat such a compelling metaphor for the complexities of modern relationships. Like the cat, we must learn to tread carefully, always keeping a watchful eye out for potential threats, even as we seek the comfort and companionship of others.