Physarum Policephalum (slime mold): Difference between revisions

Physarum Policephalum (slime mold) (view source)

Revision as of 11:56, 21 September 2024

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project using slime mold added

Lidya

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 //Doku by Hanna Bremerich
+'''<big>BLOB</big>'''
+The video artwork ''Blob'', produced for the "Beyond the Screens" project module under the guidance of Reinhard König for the City Digital Skin Art Festival (CDSA), is a collaborative effort by Amna Chaudhry, Torben Zsagar, and Dicle Lidya Çolak.
+The creation of the slime mold installation, specifically the Petri dish setup, was carried out by Dicle Lidya Çolak in the BioLab of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. This installation was made possible by the expertise, skills, and equipment gained from the courses "DIY BioLab Driver’s License" and "Growing Microorganisms for Bioart Projects," led by Alessandro Volpato. The project reflects the combined outcomes of the "Growing Microorganisms for Bioart Projects" and "Beyond the Screens" courses.
+Background and Context
+“The "Beyond the Screens" project module explores the potential of large-scale urban screens and media facades as platforms for visualizing ecological processes, aiming to make climate change tangible, visible, and experiential in public spaces. The project challenges the anthropocentric viewpoint by asking how we can design environments that recognize the needs and dynamics of non-human organisms, extending beyond human understanding and interests. By mapping, tracking, and narrating interactions within urban ecologies, the project seeks to give a voice to beyond-human species, using digital screens and media architecture to bridge the gap between art, science, and technology.”
+For our investigation, an environment was prepared for ''Physarum polycephalum''—commonly known as "Blob"—a microscopic organism frequently used in bioart due to its similarities to human social behavior. This experiment allowed Blob to rediscover the city of Hamburg, where the selected screen is located. By viewing the city through the perspective of a non-human actor, we aimed to examine its past and future, moving beyond the human-centered transformations that have shaped Hamburg over time.
+Objectives of the Project
+The project aims to explore how urban screens can serve as ecological visualization zones, making climate change perceptible and experiential to the public. By engaging a non-human actor like Blob, the project seeks to reimagine urban environments, highlighting the often-overlooked dynamics of non-human organisms. Our goal is to create a narrative that informs and inspires a re-evaluation of humanity's relationship with the natural world, fostering greater public awareness at the crossroads of art, science, and technology.
+In order to make the artwork more impactful, we chose to maintain a strong connection to the city context. Our intention was for participants to engage with a work that directly reflects the location they are in, as they view it on the screen. To achieve this, we analyzed the historical development of Hamburg within the region surrounding the Elbphilharmonie building. Blob follows the city’s growth along a historical timeline and, at a certain point, begins to determine how the city will evolve in the future.[[File:Figure1.jpg|center|400x400px|frameless|'''<small>Man-Made Cubic Structures /</small>''' '''<small>Human vs. Nature</small>''' '''<small>/</small>''' '''<small>Survival of the Fittest</small>''']]'''<small>Man-Made Cubic Structures /</small>''' '''<small>Human vs. Nature</small>''' '''<small>/</small>''' '''<small>Survival of the Fittest</small>'''[[File:Figure2.jpg|center|frameless|400x400px|Content made by: Dicle Lidya Çolak]]'''<small>Organic Folding Evolving Structures /</small>''' '''<small>Human with Nature</small>''' '''<small>/</small>''' '''<small>Coevolution</small>'''
+'''Project Overview / Storyline'''
+The ''Blob'' project is rooted in the exploration of humanity's relationship with nature, particularly focusing on themes of rebirth, consumption, and the cyclical nature of life. By replacing the human actor with ''Physarum polycephalum'' (Blob), the project shifts the narrative from a human-centered perspective to one that considers the agency and behavior of a non-human organism. The Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, a symbol of architectural evolution and adaptation, serves as the starting point for this exploration. Through Blob’s movements and interactions within the city, the project reveals how urban environments can be understood and shaped by non-human actors, challenging conventional design practices and encouraging a rethinking of human impact on nature.
+[[File:Sequence 01 blob.gif|frameless|399x399px|content made by: Torben Zsagar & Dicle Lidya Çolak / edit made by: Amna Chaudhry|left]]''<small>storyline phase1/ birth</small>''[[File:Sequence 02 blob.gif|frameless|400x400px|left]][[File:Sequence 3 blob.gif|frameless|400x400px|left]][[File:Sequence 04 blob.gif|frameless|400x400px|left]]
+''<small>storyline phase2/ exploration</small>''
+''<small>storyline phase3/ undefined</small>''
+''<small>storyline phase4/ dead end</small>''
+<small>Content made by: Torben Zsagar & Dicle Lidya Çolak</small>
+<small>Editing made by: Amna Chaudhry</small>
+'''Petri dish installation'''
+Method
+To enable the Blob to replicate the historical growth of Hamburg up to the present day, we began by analyzing the city’s population density distribution from its earliest settlement to the present. Understanding how Hamburg had developed over time was crucial for guiding the Blob's growth and enabling it to simulate potential future expansion.
+To achieve this, extensive historical research was conducted, focusing on the city’s development. Based on this research, we selected three key maps representing Hamburg in 1300, 1892, and 2018, which provided data on the population density distribution across different eras.
+These maps were then used to mark the development of the selected area in Hamburg on a city plan. The diagrams derived from this plan were first scaled to match the control group petri dishes (10 cm diameter) and then adjusted for the petri dish used in the timelapse photography (20 cm diameter). This method allowed us to guide the Blob’s growth in a way that mirrored Hamburg’s historical evolution, ensuring that the experiment was both visually and conceptually aligned with the project’s objectives.[[File:Figure 7.jpg|center|frameless|400x400px]]<small>'''diagram based on 1300’s map'''</small>[[File:Figure 8.jpg|center|frameless|400x400px]]'''<small>diagram based on 1892’s map</small>'''<small>             </small>[[File:Figure 9.jpg|center|frameless|400x400px]]'''<small>diagram based on 2018’s map</small>'''[[File:Figure 11.jpg|center|frameless|400x400px]]<small>'''first control group petri dish, based on 1300’s map diagram'''</small>
+'''Growing the Blob According to Historical Data'''
+'''Step 1 - Initial Placement''': The Blob was initially placed on the site representing the Elbphilharmonie building in the petri dish. To simulate the settlement depicted in the first diagram, dating back to the 1300s, food sources were strategically positioned to help orient and sustain the Blob’s growth.[[File:Figure 12.jpg|frameless|300x300px|center]]'''Step 2 - Two Days of Growth''': Over the course of two days, the Blob fully explored the designated settlement area, effectively replicating the development of Hamburg up to the 1300s.[[File:Figure12.jpg|frameless|301x301px|center]]'''Step 3 - First Food Replacement''': To simulate Hamburg’s growth between 1300 and 1892, a second set of food sources was introduced in the laboratory. This placement followed the population density diagram from the 1892 map.[[File:Figure 13.jpg|frameless|301x301px|center]]'''Step 4 - Eight Days of Growth''': Within eight days, the Blob expanded to cover the areas corresponding to the population density of Hamburg in 1892.[[File:Figure16.jpg|frameless|301x301px|center]]'''Step 5 - Second Food Replacement''': The final set of food sources was introduced based on the dense urban fabric map from 2018, representing the present-day population distribution of Hamburg.[[File:Figure15.jpg|frameless|300x300px|center]]'''Step 6 - Sixteen Days of Growth''': At this stage, the Blob was no longer guided by external intervention. Instead, it was left to determine the future overpopulation and consumption scenario of the city on its own. The experiment continued until the 16th day, when the Blob began to weaken due to stress, marking the end of the timelapse.[[File:Figure 17.jpg|frameless|300x300px|center]]'''<small>11 days of growth            </small>''' [[File:Figure 19.jpg|frameless|300x300px|center]]'''<small>14 days of growth              </small>'''[[File:Figure 20.jpg|frameless|300x300px|center]]'''<small>16 days of growth</small>'''
+'''Shooting for 3 weeks of growth'''
+The process of cultivating the Blob required careful attention and time to ensure strong and visible growth. Over three weeks, photos were taken every 15 minutes to document the Blob's growth. The project aimed to align the Blob’s growth with a symbolic timeline reflecting Hamburg’s historical expansion from the 1300s to the present. This approach allowed the Blob’s growth pattern to mimic the city’s development, adding a deeper layer of meaning to the visual narrative. However, the process was not without challenges, as the risk of contamination could lead to mold formation in the Petri dish, potentially compromising the results.[[File:Figure 22.jpg|center|frameless|267x267px]]
+'''Timelapse'''[[File:Sequence 1 timelapse.gif|center|frameless|400x400px]]<small>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7vDehMDgdI&list=PLdUPcma_TIKAQtHGJT5HqQPzl3DyyC90i</small>[[File:Sequence 2 timelapse.gif|center|frameless|400x400px]]<small>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJEMDSNxfdg&list=PLdUPcma_TIKAQtHGJT5HqQPzl3DyyC90i&index=3</small>
+After capturing the images over the three-week period, Adobe Lightroom was used to compile and organize the photos. This phase was crucial in preparing the raw visual data for further refinement. The next step involved using Adobe Premiere, where contrast and overlap adjustments were made to enhance the visuals and ensure consistency across the sequence. These adjustments were necessary to prepare the images for final processing in TouchDesigner, where the visual narrative of the Blob’s growth would be fully realized.