One Breath

Air is perhaps self-contained (as the sky contains clouds and this deep blue color, both are manifestations of the same air) but its emptiness is also ‘Space’ (in the sense of what it can support and contain, like small particles of dust). Air is without a doubt the only pure form of ‘Public Space’.

I’m currently working on the idea of using air as a the platform for public art, as well as a medium in which the work of art could circulate, surround and engage involuntary audiences. Inspired by the conception of air as the only absolute common element that we all share (common in the sense of collective property) but also our most radical container, I started a series of experiments with interactive devices that could help to visualize this “share element” and its role in our social environments.

One Breath is a in-material sculpture that is produced by the interaction between the viewer, the blowing sensor device and its output interface. Once the person blows onto the sensor, it transmits a signal to other electronic powered objects (like a big fan) to turn them on for a few seconds. The sensor uses arduinos and rf a transmitter and receiver at both ends in order to communicate to one another and react to the viewers actions.

Below see a few photos of the process that I follow to produce the final piece (which is still a demo of a bigger project):

Ideas for the Installation:

Fabrication and Interaction

The first attempt I did to build a blowing sensor used an electric fan to produce current when it was blown. This current was measured and adjusted in order to send a signal as an electric pulse to a bigger fan. Thanks to this tutorial for the initial idea: http://www.nerdkits.com/videos/sound_meter/