Biotronic Research Module #7

Description

Biotronic Research Module #7 is a large scientific multimedia sculpture using the rotation of plants to create a soundscape through an overly convoluted cascading signal chain. Like a Rube Goldberg sculpture, this piece ironically pushes complex technology to pointless extremes for a mesmerizing technotronic audiovisual experience.

Explanation

Biotronic Research Module #7 is a project from a series that investigates ‘acoustic ecology’ and the idea of technological progress. Acoustic ecology is the study of sound in natural environments and the impact of technology on it’s soundscape. The projects in this series are directly inspired by the large amounts of discredited scientific experiments and crackpot hypotheses that claim different kinds of sounds and music influence plants differently. The majority of this research has been completely disregarded due to variables in the scientific process. When my own legitimate experiments failed, I embraced the process and started making pseudo science sculptures. I was inspired to push the envelope of previously documented theories utilizing absurdist technology. I developed a pseudo scientific ecologist DJ research unit that created pulsating rhythms and video.  I do believe plants actively respond to music; however, it is hard to objectively measure qualitatively or quantitatively.

Technical Overview

This piece was specifically built for the Ballad of Wires and Hands Exhibition at the New Art Center Newton during the Boston Cyber Arts Festival, 2003. This piece is a continuation of my previous project, AO2000, that flaunts it’s blatant miss-use of technology and convoluted engineering. The rack-mount unit consists of four turntables with houseplants spinning in a sequence programmed on a computer.  Video cameras above the unit follow the motion of the houseplants positioned on the turntables. The revolutions of the plants on the turntables transform beats of the music through a cascading information chain. Television monitors fitted with light sensors control synthesizers’ sounds. The cacophony of music is then finally displayed as a waveform on the array of rack-mounted oscilloscopes.