Zone of the Impending: Articulation

1. Zone of the Impending: Articulation Brief Historical Basis of Environmentalism • INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, 18th-19th CENTURY • Factories/assembly line lead to water/air pollution, heavy use of fossil fuel & coal, overconsumption • 18th CENTURYConcern with waste dumping, Henry David Thoreau & John Muir philosophize about “inherent right of nature” and becoming “intimate with nature” • 20th CENTURY • Chipko movement 1970. Literally hugged trees as a peaceful demonstration. • Increasing preservation of parks, wildlife, “Deep Ecology” theories—Earth as single organism. • “Because of the complexities of the climate system, more warming is inevitable, but we still have time to enact policies that will avoid the most catastrophic impacts.” • Human activities have caused unwanted changes in the environment • Apprehensions about technology (Kittler) • Designer as “god” responsibility/moral obligation (LaTour) • MAIN “IMPENDING” ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS: • GLOBAL WARMING: • Global warming is happening and its effects are catastrophic. Man is the cause. We must act quickly by enforcing policy, spreading global awareness, and incorporating a strong principle of “efficiency” into our lives. • OVERPOPULATION: • Population is rising. Especially in “Third World” countries. This is bad because the earth can’t support (in terms of space and resources) that many people. People need to be efficient in terms of reproduction. • OVERCONSUMPTION/WASTE: • Augments “overpopulation.” More people, more consumption of resources. • http://globalwarming.house.gov/issues/globalwarming?id=0002#main_content

2. Zone of the Impending: Articulation Why are we doing this? ROLE OF “ARTIST” OR “DESIGNER” --Realize data in an interactive, emotional way “…the phenomenon of inter-faciality…If people look at each other, a nontrivial space arises that cannot be construed as physical or geometric—inter-facial space” (Spheres Theory, Sloterdijk) --Humanize the data encounter, make cold data tangible --Pose questions --Focus on real-time as “syndrome of our time” and the idea of the “network” as contemporary organizational pattern “Yet, in a time of networks, swarms, and multitudes, it would seem that the third approach -- that of 'pattern' -- is today dominant in the life sciences (genetics, genomics), health care (biotech industry), technology (a-life, AI, networks), war (bioterror, emerging epidemics) and even alternative scientific viewpoints (biocomplexity, emergence) [1]. A new, vital pattern pervades systems of all kinds -- global economies, social systems, immigration patterns, information exchanges, mobile and wireless communications, and so forth.” (“Biophilosophy,” Thacher) ---Draw parallels between nature and technology

3. Dying Growth To reconstruct a digital rain forest by using fiber optics, led light and digital sounds. The coloring of fiber optic lights represent three stages of the rain forest; deforested, stable areas and increased forested area. Reds will represent deforested areas, vibrant shades of blues will represent stable areas, greens represent new growth. Goal To expose the dangers of the depleting rainforest in a visual manner that evokes emotion on both the consciences and sub consciences levels. Project 2

4. What is Deforestation • The clearance of forests by logging and or burning. • Environmental Problems • Global Warming • The water cycle • Destruction of biological life • Economically lower the living standards of the world's poor by reducing the GDP (a measure of a country's overall official economic output)

5. map.showstuffworks.com

7. Why the use of colored Lights?The most effective kind of light for photosynthesis is certain red and blue wavelengths as they contain the right amount of energy to charge electrons to a higher energy level. The plant also contains other pigments that absorb more blue, red, orange, and yellow wavelengths. Since none of the pigments absorb green wavelengths plants appear green when we look at themSource: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/350805/how_colored_light_affects_plant_growth_pg3.html?cat=58 Light effects mood in Humans Influence of light and darkness on circadian rhythms and related behavior through the suprachiasmatic nucleus inhumans. The suprachiasmatic nucleus or nuclei, abbreviated SCN, is a tiny region on the brain's midline, situated directly above the optic chiasm. It is responsible for controlling circadian rhythms. The neuronal and hormonal activities it generates regulate many different body functions in a 24-hour cycle, using around 20,000 neurons.Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm “Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.” - Pablo PicassoColor Psychology:the study of color as a factor in human behavior.Color Therapy:alternative medicine where therapist use color and light to balance "energy" in the bodyColor Meaning: or the interpretation of color. Redis the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.Greenis the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety.Source : http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Circadian_rhythm_labeled.jpg

8. Why use light: Relationship between light and plant lifePhotosynthesis is how plants produce energy from the sun and give off oxygen into the atmosphere. Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/350805/how_colored_light_affects_plant_growth_pg3.html?cat=58 How does light, plants and Humans relate?Circadian Rhythm: a 24-hour cycle in the biochemical, physiological, or behavioral processes of living entities, including plants, animals fungi and germs (see bacterial circadian rhythms) revolving around light-and dark cycle. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm

9. Remote Sensing System http://www.ssmi.com/sst/sst_data_daily.html?sat=tmi

11. http://maps.geog.umd.edu/firms/

13. http://www.mindfully.org/Air/2005/Amazon-Rainforest-Hurricanes1oct05.htmhttp://www.mindfully.org/Air/2005/Amazon-Rainforest-Hurricanes1oct05.htm

16. Reading which were incorporated in the Zone of the Impending ProjectsReadings“Escaping Flatland”, in Human Inhabitance, is stepping away from 2D art and visualizing the 3D experience of objects around a singular object with multiple interfaces and multimedia. In “Dying Growth” it is experiencing data in 3D way and 2D, with fibro-optics trees visualizing data and an user interface displaying numerical data. In addition, in “City vs. Nature” the numerical data projected onto trees incorporates a 3D experience. “Synthetic Times”, by Zhang Ga, The Exhibition- “rethinking of the fundamental alienation manifested by the perpetual struggle in which control and submission, exploitation and revolt are the underlying dynamics that rubricate complex human conditions”. In all the projects, each display data in front of the viewer, intriguing the viewer to interact or have a re-action to the piece (by viewing the data). The projects exploit data to get a response from the viewer. Using the article, “The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis”, Lyn White Jr., the projects give the notion that technology is ruthless to nature but stepping away from the anti-Christianity perspective. People and Technology are ruthless to nature.

17. Zone of the Impending: Graph Process: Sketch 1

18. Zone of the Impending: Graph Process: Sketch 2

19. Zone of the Impending: Graph Process: Sketch 3