OVUM
pollution shaped
Generative data sculptures allow it to experience the measured values of toxins in herring gull eggs as an augmented reality installation. The body involvement and interactive exploration combine the qualities of classic sculptures with the advantages of digital applications.
| Year | 2024 |
| Material | Pen and Paper/Sketchbook, Hard foam board, Meta Quest 3, Chicken eggshell |
| Production/Tools | Touchdesigner, Blender, Unity 3D, cables.gl |
| Dimension | ca. 4 x 3 x 3 m (LxBxH) |
Motivation:
Due to its widespread distribution with stable populations in the North and Baltic Seas and the fact that its food comes primarily from the sea, the herring gull is an important indicator of the pollution of the marine ecosystem. The egg serves as the first life-forming environment for the seagull embryo, but is already heavily polluted with cancer-causing substances. This invisible drama with which seagulls are born should become visible and explorable and raise awareness of the necessity and effectiveness of protective measures, such as bans, legal limits and environmental regulati-ons – that was my goal for about four months.
Practices and Processes:
- After viewing the data, several sketches were made to determine the form and contextualization. Here, I tested which and how many physical elements should be included in the real space.
- The majority of the programming, such as the interaction and integration of all information, took place in the game engine Unity. The textures, materials, lighting, sound integration and dramaturgy were also created here and finally exportes as a standalone app for Meta Quest 3.
- My sound recordings of the eggshells were used by musician Sebastian Langer as the basis for the soundscape.
- The design of the real space with printed hard foam panels, posters and the egg exhibits was particularly important, as it is always part of the work and constantly visible because of the augmented reality experience.