Chris Jordan

Photo image: EMERGENCE

Chris Jordan
"Hectagon Heliograph Strategies", 2008
Projector, mirrors and camera
Site specific installation (2nd floor backroom and backyard)

Concept: This installation attempts to juxtapose an historical environment with the political disparity found in consumerism and warfare. The work highlights the connection to the site's military background, while fragmenting the modern day struggle surrounding the concept of land and environment we live in. Broken mirrors (found objects) with arial projections and maps of Governors Island fill the room, and an auxiliary piece in the backyard captures sunrays that reflects into the backroom.

Participate: By incorporating environmental projections that appear constantly in motion and engaged with individuals in the installation space by projecting on all surfaces, instead of the traditional media 4:3 box. This piece aims to reverse the consumer role by reflecting and refracting the viewer's movement and physical presence. Viewers essentially become imbedded in the work through timelapse recordings.

John Walter

Photo image: EMERGENCE

John Walter
"True Mirror - the Future of Self Awareness", 2008
Mirror, plastic, wood and light
24" x 60" x 8"

Concept: The True Mirror is an amazing new look at yourself through a most familiar medium – the mirror. However, unlike traditional mirrors, the True Mirror reflects without reversal, so for the first time what you see what everyone else sees. The differences are not just physical, as what you say with your face is right and left sided, so your expressions and underlying personality change when they get reversed. Its the real "you" looking back!

Participate: As you walk past the row of True Mirrors, notice some funny physics - you are always in the center of each True Mirror! Hold some writing up - can you read it? Now look into your eyes - who is that looking back? Try a smile - can it be real for once? Do you feel crooked (don’t worry its an exaggeration). Compare to the side panel - notice how its familiar, but flat and uninspiring. Think of how mirrors have been doing this your whole life!

Pornj Diamond Cell

Photo image: David B. Smith

Pornj Diamond Cell
"Pornj Diamond Cloud", 2008
Cardboard, string, sharpies and blacklight
Various

Concept: It is an on-going project made of an evolving set of fluorescent tiles (Diamonds) assembled in different configurations to create a variety of mobile sculptures. The original setting for the installation is hung from the ceiling of a dark room lit only with black lights.

Participate: The installation is an invitation to the audience to personalize each Diamond by writing and/or drawing on them. A pen will be the last element hanging at the bottom of each string of Diamonds.

Tim & Martin Dockery

Photo image: EMERGENCE

Tim & Martin Dockery
"Long Distance", 2008
Sound and speakers
25 minute loop

Concept: While there can be more than one view on any event, this piece is more interested on the many takes of one view, and the resulting meaninglessness. This work examines the digression of information as it travels from mouth-to-ear and ear-to-mouth back to mouth-to-ear and so on and on and on. Each narration of a single message is altered by the nature, prejudices and limitations of the narrator

Participate: Like a game of telephone, each speaker is playing a recording of a person listening to and trying their best to exactly repeat what the previous recording/speaker is saying. With each successive speaker, the information degenerates. Because all the speakers are playing at once, the room becomes a cacophony of voices, the meaninglessness amplified by the stilted cadence of each person trying to keep up with what they're listening to. Standing next to one speaker gives the participant one take on a certain view. Staying close to another speaker gives the participant another take on that same view. Remaining between them all exposes the participant to all the takes of the same view at once and the babel of information that that is. The participants are encouraged to contribute to the retelling of the same view.