Another Idea
Since Death of a Moth seems a bit improbable to happen... at least in Transmediale... I came up with another idea. Last week when we were looking at some BioArt projects (the one with the snails) I realized that if you put animals in a museum, sometimes people are afraid to touch them. But we are not yet used to the idea of touching multimedia screens in a museum also.
My question then is: What are humans more afraid of? Technology or Nature? My idea is now to create two devices to perceive sound waves, magnetic fields or even echo (I just found out Bats communicate via echo). I still don't know exactly what would these devices would sense but the idea is that one will be created out of natural materials like wood, have an organic form and the connection to the human must be less obvious, the other one will be made out of metal materials that will give humans the idea of being more technologic.
The two devices would be presented to a person and ask them to choose between both of them, the theme "decision making" would play a big role in this project. Why would they choose the natural devices? Why would they prefer the technological device? Does this make them feel like a cyborg? Would they spend a whole day with the device on?
"Inspiration"
Just found an amazing book called "Kunstformen der Natur" by Ernst Haeckel The drawings are great, a lot of visual inspiration for the creation of the devices.
Death of a Moth
Inspiration
The Death of a Moth by Vrigina Woolf
The essay is about an afternoon in which Virginia was watching a Moth trapped in a window-pane, with no escape. At the beginning she talks about how a moth is not as gracious as a butterfly nor as somber as some other moths that prefer to go out at night. The moth in particular is enjoying its flight in the afternoon, in the sun light though it is about to be gone. At the end, I understand, she deserves to die for the night is coming.
Idea
Two subjects would be released in a squared room, a moth and a human being. Both would be tracked and follow by a light. Perhaps the moth would be followed by a less brighter light or with no light at all. The light would go off it they stop moving. It is important to keep in mind that moths like or follow light and some humans are afraid of moths. If the moth stands still no light would be on this would probably make the human feel fear for he would not know where the moth is. He would then move and the moth would probably start following him in search of light. The human would experience a sort of state of surveillance and fear, he would have no escape, just like the moth in the essay.
Possibilities
- Light and darkness, shadows in between.
- Natural surveillance.
- Life and death.
- Fear.
- The movement of the moth could be appreciated.
- A continuos dancing between both subjects.
Diagram
