Zone of Impending: Articulation “Looming” “Impending” environmental crisis

Zone of the Impending: ArticulationINDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, 18th-19th CENTURYFactories/assembly line lead to water/air pollution, heavy use of fossil fuel & coal, overconsumption

18th CENTURYConcern with waste dumping, Henry David Thoreau & John Muir philosophize about “inherent right of nature” and becoming “intimate with nature”

20th CENTURYChipko movement 1970. Literally hugged trees as a peaceful demonstration. Increasing preservation of parks, wildlife, “Deep Ecology” theories—Earth as single organism.“Because of the complexities of the climate system, more warming is inevitable, but we still have time to enact policies that will avoid the most catastrophic impacts.”Human activities have caused unwanted changes in the environmentApprehensions about technology (Kittler)Designer as “god” responsibility/moral obligation (LaTour) MAIN “IMPENDING” ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS:GLOBAL WARMING:Global warming is happening and its effects are catastrophic. Man is the cause. We must act quickly by enforcing policy, spreading global awareness, and incorporating a strong principle of “efficiency” into our lives.

OVERPOPULATION:Population is rising. Especially in “Third World” countries. This is bad because the earth can’t support (in terms of space and resources) that many people. People need to be efficient in terms of reproduction.

OVERCONSUMPTION/WASTE:Augments “overpopulation.” More people, more consumption of resources.

http://globalwarming.house.gov/issues/globalwarming?id=0002#main_content

Brief Historical Basis of Environmentalism

Zone of the Impending: ArticulationENVIRONMENTALISM AS THE NEW “UNIVERSAL CHURCH”“Against Nature” documentary, Channel 4, UK, 1997. PHILLIP ATKINSON:“Characterizing environmentalist ideology as unscientific, irrational and anti-humanist, this acerbic and polemical three-part series turns 'Green' ideas on their head.Against Nature begins by exposing the absence of scientific rigor behind notions such as the greenhouse effect and global warming. It goes on to contrast densely populated, industrialized First World countries (much hated by the Greens), which have clean air, clean water and long life expectancies, with sparsely populated, largely pre-industrial countries (much loved by the Greens), which have polluted water, terrible air and far shorter life expectancies. The second programme exposes the myth of overpopulation and points to the barbarism and racism of environmentalist plans to reduce population levels in the Third World. The last programme in the series identifies environmentalism as the new enemy of science, taking over from religion. It argues that Green scaremongering about genetics and fertility has led to valuable scientific research being stopped.”http://www.ourcivilisation.com/aginatur/index.htm

AFFLUENT NORM/POWER, LESS AGENCY FOR POOR "And it seems to me that there is no accountability here. It's not the people of Africa and Asia or Latin America that have demanded environmental policies; these are policies that are being pushed by everybody in the West, from the World Bank to Green organizations. Who gave them the authority? By what moral right do they dictate the terms of how these societies can develop and realize their potential for the future?"-“A Theory of Civilization, ”Phillip Atkins http://www.ourcivilisation.com/index.htm

GLOBAL WARMING CHALLENGE“An Inconvenient Truth….or a Convenient Fiction?” documentary , Hayward“The problem with VP Al Gore and other global warming extremists, is that they distort the science, grossly exaggerates the risks, argue that anyone who disagrees is corrupt, and suggests that solutions are cheap and easy…and that’s an all too convenient fiction.”http://www.aconvenientfiction.com/

OVERPOPULATION CHALLENGE“Demographic Bomb” documentary, By Rick Stout 2009Data suggests that population is declining. “Fewer workers leads to few consumers, fewer consumers leads to lower economic reproduction…” Only a select few to walk the Earth? Humans become less a resource, less valued, cheapened. http://www.demographicbomb.com/

Challenges to “Going Green”

Zone of the Impending: Articulation Why are we doing this?

ROLE OF “ARTIST” OR “DESIGNER”

--Realize data in an interactive, emotional way

“…the phenomenon of inter-faciality…If people look at each other, a nontrivial space arises that cannot be construed as physical or geometric—inter-facial space”(Spheres Theory, Sloterdijk)

--Humanize the data encounter, make cold data tangible

--Pose questions

--Focus on real-time as “syndrome of our time” and the idea of the “network” as contemporary organizational pattern

“Yet, in a time of networks, swarms, and multitudes, it would seem that the third approach -- that of 'pattern' -- is today dominant in the life sciences (genetics, genomics), health care (biotech industry), technology (a-life, AI, networks), war (bioterror, emerging epidemics) and even alternative scientific viewpoints (biocomplexity, emergence) [1]. A new, vital pattern pervades systems of all kinds -- global economies, social systems, immigration patterns, information exchanges, mobile and wireless communications, and so forth.”

(“Biophilosophy,” Thacher)

---Draw parallels between nature and technology

Zone of the Impending: Precedence Artists

“LISTENING POST, ”MARK HANSEN & BEN RUBEN 2001

Takes real time data from internet chat rooms, public forums and displays them on LED screens. The texts are read (or sung) by a voice synthesizer, and simultaneously displayed across a suspended grid of more than two hundred small electronic screens. Listening Post cycles through a series of six movements, each a different arrangement of visual, aural, and musical elements, each with it's own data processing logic. Dissociating the communication from its conventional on-screen presence, Listening Post is a visual and sonic response to the content, magnitude, and immediacy of virtual communication.

Idea of surveillance

Purpose: To inform - Interactive narrative of ecological dangers due to human inhabitance

Idea: Six globes will represent six ecological issue: pollution of water, air, earth, global warming, depleting of natural resources and human inhabitance

How does it work? Each globe will be fitted with a ipad. The ipad will feed information about that particular globe’s ecological issue via the internet (example: water pollution). Each globe will upon interaction, will glow indicating it’s use. Once the viewer interacts with one globe another globe illuminates-hopefully getting the viewers attention and expose him or her to another danger...etc. Once each globe has been interacted with a large center globe will illuminate its light and play a collection of video pieces that illustrate the underlying clause of environmental destruction.

Human Inhabitants Project 1

Human Inhabitants

Human Inhabitants

GLOBAL WARMINGGlobal warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century has been caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which result from human activity such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

WATER POLLUTIONWater pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into bodies of water without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Trash ,Detergents, Petroleum hydrocarbons, including fuels (gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuels, and fuel oil) and lubricants… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution

AIR POLLUTIONThe introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment into the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, non-irritating but very poisonous gas. It is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood.

SOIL CONTAMINATIONCaused by the presence of human-made chemicals in the natural soil environment. This type of contamination typically arises from the rupture of underground storage tanks, application of pesticides, oil and fuel dumping, leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_contamination

Purpose: To inform – Interactive data from different sides of “impending environmental crisis.”

Idea: Six globes will represent six ecological issue: pollution of water, air, earth, global warming, depleting of natural resources and overpopulation.

How does it work? Each globe will be fitted with a ipad. The ipad will feed information about that particular globe’s ecological issue via the internet (example: water pollution). The data will be collected from both sides of the debates, and will display at random. Each globe will upon interaction, will glow indicating it’s use. Once the viewer interacts with one globe another globe illuminates-hopefully getting the viewers attention and expose him or her to Another issue...etc. Once each globe has been interacted with a large center globe will illuminate its light and play a collection of textual data that illustrates all the environmental issues mentioned.

LOOMING ENCOUNTERS

LOOMING ENCOUNTERS

LOOMING ENCOUNTERS

GLOBAL WARMINGIn the United States, scientists believe that most areas will to continue to warm, although some will likely warm more than others.http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html

According to the U.S. National Climate Data Center 2008 temperatures in the USA were below the 115 year average for most of the country. U.S. 2009 summer temperatures were also very cool, the 34th coolest since 1895. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/2008/dec/01_12_2008_DvTempRank_pg.gif

WATER POLLUTIONWater pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into bodies of water without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Trash ,Detergents, Petroleum hydrocarbons, including fuels (gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuels, and fuel oil) and lubricants… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution

AIR POLLUTIONThe introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment into the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, non-irritating but very poisonous gas. It is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood.

OVERPOPULATIONNevertheless, global population continues to rise at a rate of roughly 78 million people per year. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/overpopulation/effect.html

Zone of the Impending: Materials Globes

COMPLEXPLASTICS.COMWaiting for price 60" sphere

SAVEONCRAFTS.COMGlowing Orb9.5 inches $19.99 X 6 = $120.00 (Come with LED lights)

MOONSE e7001 – TOUCHSCREEN (ANDROID TABLET)140 X 6 = $840.00

HOMEDEPOT.COM Cord $6.97 X 6= $41.82

Dying Growth To reconstruct a digital rain forest by using fiber optics, led light and digital sounds. The coloring of fiber optic lights represent

three stages of the rain forest; deforested, stable areas and increased forested area. Reds will represent deforested areas,

vibrant shades of blues will represent stable areas, greens represent new growth.

GoalTo expose the dangers of the depleting rainforest in a visual manner that evokes emotion on both the consciences and sub

consciences levels.

Project 2

What is DeforestationThe clearance of forests by logging and or burning.

Environmental Problems• Global Warming

• The water cycle

• Destruction of biological life

• Economically lower the living standards of the world's poor by reducing the GDP (a measure of a country's overall official economic output)

mapshowstuffworks.com

Why use light: Relationship between light and plant lifePhotosynthesis is how plants produce energy from the sun and give off oxygen into the atmosphere. Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/350805/how_colored_light_affects_plant_growth_pg3.html?cat=58

How does light, plants and Humans relate?Circadian Rhythm: a 24-hour cycle in the biochemical, physiological, or behavioral processes of living entities, including plants,

animals fungi and germs (see bacterial circadian rhythms) revolving around light-and dark cycle. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Circadian_rhythm_labeled.jpg

Why the use of colored Lights?The most effective kind of light for photosynthesis is certain red and blue wavelengths as they contain the right amount of energy to charge electrons to a higher

energy level. The plant also contains other pigments that absorb more blue, red, orange, and yellow wavelengths. Since none of the pigments absorb green

wavelengths plants appear green when we look at themSource: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/350805/how_colored_light_affects_plant_growth_pg3.html?cat=58

Light effects mood in Humans Influence of light and darkness on circadian rhythms and related behavior through the suprachiasmatic nucleus in

humans. The suprachiasmatic nucleus or nuclei, abbreviated SCN, is a tiny region on the brain's midline, situated

directly above the optic chiasm. It is responsible for controlling circadian rhythms. The neuronal and hormonal

activities it generates regulate many different body functions in a 24-hour cycle, using around 20,000 neurons.Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm

“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.” - Pablo Picasso

Color Psychology: the study of color as a factor in human behavior.

Color Therapy: alternative medicine where therapist use color and light to balance "energy" in the body

Color Meaning: or the interpretation of color.

Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.

Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety.

Source : http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Zone of the Impending: Materials Fiber Optic Trees

FIBER OPTIC SPARKLE LIGHTS (3mm) 900 meter Spool $954.00 http://trinorthlighting.com

FIBER OPTIC ILLUMINATOR CONTROL (100 X$180.00 )

MOONSE e7001 – TOUCHSCREEN (ANDROID TABLET)140 X 6 = $840.00

ALTERNATIVE COMMERICIAL GRADE ROPE LIGHT.5 inch 150FT $58.00http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/2129/SIV-206ULB.html

City vs. Nature

Purpose: Showing real time data on park trees to inform people on deforestation.

Idea: A projector will project real time data on percentages of deforestation of primary forest in the world and the effects of deforestation such as global environmental change and biodiversity loss. Projecting data at a city park will inform people of the consequences of construction and human consumption have on nature. The reason the projected type is yellow is because yellow on trees represents fire which can be representative of destruction and better presented at night and or red type.

How does it work? City vs. Nature, works with a projector and finding a location at a busy city park at night. Yellow type will be projected on the trees. The location of trees must be condensed together for maximum projection quality.

Project 3

What is Deforestation The clearance of forests by logging and or burning.

Environmental Problems Global Warming The water cycle Destruction of biological life Economically lower the living standards of the world's poor by reducing the GDP (a measure of a country's overall official economic output)

City Growth Affecting Forest PopulationScientific American quotes: “a statistical analysis of 41 countries revealed that forest loss rates are most closely linked with urban population growth and agricultural exports from 2000 to 2005... “

Projection DetailsThe first projection is showing the effects of deforestation to make viewers understand the importance of the issue. It is then followed by a slideshow displaying the percentages of deforestation of primary (most important for the eco-system) forests in the world. For a more visible projection, minimal text is largely displayed on the trees at the city park. Showing a vast amount of percentages displayed will show the viewers the massive amount of deforestation going on in the world.

Color ChoiceThe human eye can detect lightwaves that range from the red wavelengths to the violet wavelengths. The red waves are about 2 times longer than the violet waves. By using lasers we can generate over a thousand million (trillion) different wavelengths (colors); however, our eyes only can sense relatively few different colors. These colors in order of decreasing wavelength are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Lavender, Indigo, and Violet (the colors of the rainbow). ~ info by The MadSci Network

In addition, yellow and red are stereotypically colors of fire, and fires are one cause of deforestation. The audience should view the data about deforestation as environmental destruction.

Ross Ashton Projection Artist Projection Artist and Designer of London. Creates large scale public art using buildings as the projection surface. Pieces are designed to fit the architecture and to re-interpret it. Work is often narrative.

Reading which were incorporated in the Zone of the Impending Projects

Readings“Escaping Flatland”, in Human Inhabitance, is stepping away from 2D art and visualizing the 3D experience of objects around a singular object with multiple interfaces and multimedia. In “Dieing Growth” it is experiencing data in 3D way and 2D, with fibro-optics trees visualizing data and an user interface displaying numerical data. In addition, in “City vs. Nature” the numerical data projected onto trees incorporates a 3D experience.

“Synthetic Times”, by Zhang Ga, The Exhibition- “rethinking of the fundamental alienation manifested by the perpetual struggle in which control and submission, exploitation and revolt are the underlying dynamics that rubricate complex human conditions”. In all the projects, each display data in front of the viewer, intriguing the viewer to interact or have a re-action to the piece (by viewing the data). The projects exploit data to get a response from the viewer.

Using the article, “The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis”, Lyn White Jr., the projects give the notion that technology is ruthless to nature but stepping away from the anti-Christianity perspective. People and Technology are ruthless to nature.