Effect & Essence

Effect & Essence is an exploration in to the physical and the virtual — delving subtly into issues of authenticity, representation, technology and time. The installation consists of three rows of five large stones. Three of the stones are virtual and are represented by one large, and two small video, monitors. The large monitor displays a computer generated image of a suspended stone. The small monitors are also display stones, though these stones are video images of the physical stones. One monitor displays a live camera signal of a stone in the piece including the interactions and interruptions of the signal by viewers in the piece. The second small monitor displays a pre-recorded image of a stone and its manipulation by previous visitors to the piece.

Documentation plays an important role in the piece. A large frame hung on the wall and contains computer generated wireframe and rendered images, while text illuminates the idea of the creation process as ‘virtual’, that is, existing only as thoughts and ideas until they are manifested in physical space.