Gravity and Resistance project

“gravicells – gravity and resistance”
Artist: Seiko Mikami + Sota Ichikawa
YCAM:Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media　May 15 (Saturday) to June 20 (Sunday), 2004 http://www.ycam.jp/

■　The key concept of "gravicells"
Gravity and resistance: The spatial expression of "gravicell- gravity and resistance" is rendered consistently by the real time calculation of the dynamics. The on-going dynamic movements are composed of the counter powers around gravity. Gravity is not materialized without the reaction force.
Our sense of direction in a space, up and down or right and left, indicates the fact that we have physical functions in the gravity-based environment, and without it, our concept of space would not be formed. Thus we live in the world where gravity is inevitable, and everything that exists on the earth represents a form controlled by the dynamics of gravity, not to mention a space, language, physique, shape of stomach or architecture.
In this artwork, it is possible for us to develop a new human sense through feeling gravity differently than usual and having new perception of body. The work provides a space with hypothetical dynamics having the opposing forces of gravity and resistance, through special devices and sensors. Walking freely in the site, visitors are able to feel gravity that they are seldom aware of, resistance to it, and the effects caused by other participants. All movements and changes made by participating visitors are transformed into the movements of sound, light (LED) and geometrical images through the sensors, so that the whole space develops or changes in this interactive installation. Additionally, the position of the exhibition space is simultaneously measured by GPS, and with plural linked GPS satellites as part of the work, it involves some observation points outside the earth. It means that the area of our perception has expanded, and presents a fact that this installation site is moving relative to gravity as well. This artwork provides people with an opportunity to feel the possibility of dissolution of gravity, which suggests multiple meanings.

■ How to participate
1. Step onto the floor that is tight-stretched both lengthwise and crosswise with the opposing forces.

2. Stand or move around on this unstable flat floor (6m x 6m), and you are participating in the installation. Each participant becomes "an observation point," and another participant joins to make "plural moving observation points." The number of participants at a time is not limited.

3. On the floor are placed 225 units of 40cm x 40cm cell-like grids, in which specially developed sensors (not on/off switches) are fixed to detect instantly and continuously the changing position, weight, and speed.

4. Based on the relations among participants' dynamics, GPS in the sky above the site, and changes in the space, another space is created by light, sound, and images.

5. Changes in the space are programmed on the movements obtained by the physical calculation of gravity, and the on-going dynamic movements are changes according to the installation structure and plural moving participants. The analyzing program reconstructs geometry, generating and modifying the coordinates according to GPS, participant's dynamics, speed, and position. It also distorts the coordinates.

6. Through a GPS satellite's position-measuring device fixed on the roof of YCAM Big Wave, the sensitivity, position, and direction of GPS above in the sky are projected on the screen real-time in the installation space. Then the dynamics of GPS is turned into a simultaneously moving site, and thus the installation space involves the outside environment.

7. When there is no participant, the space goes back to the former tight-stretched state. In the background, however, the dynamics of GPS and others are moving real-time. The loops of the process of the changing installation structure go on providing data successively.