9/21 - Brainstorming

I've been having such a hard time coming up with ideas for the final project in this class - partially because I am so behind in assignments but also because I feel like I have no idea what electronic or interactive art can manifest as. I finally got myself to go do some research and I found some very compelling and inspiring works that I think could help me form a direction for my project.

The first is Moon Phases by Yingjie Bei and Yifan Hu. It is a device on which users can enter in any date and it will show a physical representation of how the moon appeared in the Northern Hemisphere on that date. I've had an increasing interest in astronomy recently and though it's never been the subject of any serious pieces of mine, it still seems like a topic I would like to explore. I feel a connection to the moon and its phases because of the significance of the lunar calendar in Islam. The phases of the moon are incredibly important during the most important Islamic holidays, so I think I would be interested in making some sort of piece that represents this.

The second piece I looked at is Constellaction by Pangenerator, another work that is inspired by astronomy. Visually, this piece was so compelling. The user or viewer shines a light on one of the components, which sends a wave through the rest of them. They are of simple design but when put together, the effect is beautiful. Some of the mechanics of this piece are described on this post so I think it would be very handy to read through those to understand how it works.

I'm still unsure of what exactly I want to create for my project, but as of right now I think I may like to take components similar to both of these pieces and unite them to create my own piece about the significance of the moon.