Quasar 2.0: Star Incubator (Q2:SI) is an immersive interactive light and sound installation. Providing a spatial reflection of renewing and evolving life-cycles, the Q2:SI body is conceived of an array of structural prototype elements, electronic sensors and control elements that form an intricate three-dimensional spatial experience. The light and sound events are expressions of a multilayered generative system that transport ever changing narrative structures through emerging characteristics. The installation’s life-form is computed in real-time comprising of simultaneously converging data streams: local infrared and electromagnetic fields, Muon Neutrino data streams from the Antarctic IceCube Neutrino Observatory and weather data collected at Automated Weather Stations from the Antarctic Meteorological Research Center. A local information screen provides tangible data sourcing and processing of the multiple inputs. Over time the observer will notice subtle differentiations of the evolutionary principles that are fluently transitioning and initiating a new impetus for connecting visitors with an interface of various information stratum. The aim of the exhibit is to connect the audience with systems of the universe unfolding beyond our senses, collapsing scale and time into the immediacies of the experience of ever new beginnings.
This project was made possible through collaboration with the Automatic Weather Station program of the Antarctic Meteorological Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (NSF grant number ANT-0838834); and the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Graduate School.
Sponsered by the City of Toronto for
Nuitblanche 2012, End of the World exhibition, Zone Monumental, Nathan Phillips Square
Curators: Janine Marchessault and Michael Prokopow
With support from Kristine Germann, Joe Sellors, and Michelle Lun
Nuit Blanche Production Team:
Vida Ash, Graham Brindle, Nicole Clouston, Faris Faraj, Matthew Fondevilla, Assaf Gadot, Michael Haas, Lisa Hosale, Sarah Khalid, Alexander Moakler, Raveesh Nagpal, Victor Zagabe
Display content developed by: Mark-David Hosale and F. Myles Sciotto with Assaf Gadot, Alexander Moakler, Raveesh Nagpal
Fabrication Assistant: Nicole Clouston
Parts of the web content developed by: Raveesh Nagpal
Q-Cast data streamer: Alexander Moakler
Parts of the Electro Magnetic Field Code provided by: Didier Longueville of Arduinoos.com