Libra
SOUND+MIXED MEDIA, 2019.
Exhibited at AGC Studio, Japan
Mar 12, 2019 - May 11, 2019
Libra is the seventh astrological sign in the Zodiac and also an ancient Roman unit of mass. This piece is a medium to measure the relationships between powers or between objects. Extraordinary (hare) and ordinary (ke). In present days, there is no clear distinction between them, and they are rather integrated. Libra is an equipment to perceive the ambiguous ideas of extraordinary and ordinary, virtual and real, and subject and object, by suspending such events in conflicting positions and keeping a clear definition on hold.
Balance of Forces
It’s impossible to actually see the force lines of gravity, resistance, friction, and oscillation that are always present in the world we live in. This piece embodies the condition as a structure where these forces are dynamically balanced, by utilizing the physical properties of fluororesin Fluon®ETFE Film and glass. The pair of large glass sheets installed in a 45-degree angle weighing 182kg, and cannot stand on its own. By placing a film over them and applying tension with a pair of 97kg glass blocks, the large glass sheets and glass blocks float while maintaining balance among forces.
Flow of Water
Water drips from a pair of funnels, and rolls down when enough water gather disrupting the balance between the weight and frictional force. The super water-repellant film increases the contact angle of the water, forming round beads of water. The optical glass on top of the film slows down the flow of water, manipulating the time to join the large puddle in the middle. A sphere floats above the center of the puddle, providing a magnetic field to form ripples. Harmonized sounds of water pour three dimensionally, as if it were sculpting the space, and its density gradually increases to cause rain. The rain vibrates the film, makes a sound, forms ripples, and soundlessly evaporates, continuing its circulation.
Buried Light and Darkness
A pair of glass sheets are buried on the floor next to Libra. The act of viewing light through glass is like viewing an image, reminding us of the experience of peeking out of a window to see the outside world. The image of a replicated ocean with several floating objects and eight sets of three-lined text represent ambiguity and a network of balance. The act of viewing darkness through glass is the act of viewing oneself, reminding us of the experience of peeking inside a window to see the inner world. Surrounded by a moss garden created indoors, ordinary and extraordinary worlds are integrated in front of and behind the screen of glass.