2019
fan, wind data networked microcontrollers, infrared sensor, vinyl wall text, acrylic enclosures, screen
Fan with Enclosure: 24.25 H × 14 W × 9 D in (61.6 H × 35.56 W × 22.86 D cm)
Microcontrollers and Screen: 42 H × 20 W × 20 D in (107 H × 50.8 W × 50.8 D cm)
Faint text on a wall invites viewers to come close to read “our distance allows our intimacy”. The phrase refers to the complexities of existence in the biotechnological age where understanding of our own bodies and the bodies of others is increasingly mediated by technology. The sculpture blows a breeze in the viewers face as they read the text. The speed of the networked fan intermittently adjusts to the wind conditions near llamas living at a biological laboratory vivarium in rural Pennsylvania. The llamas are used for antibody production for human drugs including vaccines and antiviral treatments.
Faint text on a wall invites viewers to come close to read “our distance allows our intimacy”. The phrase refers to the complexities of existence in the biotechnological age where understanding of our own bodies and the bodies of others is increasingly mediated by technology. The sculpture blows a breeze in the viewers face as they read the text. The speed of the networked fan intermittently adjusts to the wind conditions near llamas living at a biological laboratory vivarium in rural Pennsylvania. The llamas are used for antibody production for human drugs including vaccines and antiviral treatments.
...Through a diverse range of media and techniques, Laura Splan weaves a multifarious narrative of science. At times, Splan’s work brings to mind the Brothers Grimm, the miller’s daughter spinning straw into gold, a transmutation of material through manual labor and a bit of magic, unlocking secrets through a process of attribution...
...Splan portrays the scientific process in all of its slowness and setbacks. The sounds and tactile experiences evoke a sanctity of space, creating an ambiance that’s almost reverent in its effect...
Project Support: uCity Science Center Bioart Residency, Integral Molecular, Esther Klein Gallery, The Knight Foundation, The New Gallery
Additional Creative Tech: Frank Musarra
Exhibitions: Pioneer Works, The New Gallery, Esther Klein Gallery
