Video installation in which audience modify a landscape through their thoughts. A brainwave sensor measures the concentration of the user and triggers different effects in a video. At the same time, the landscape shown intends to affect participant's emotional state, creating a cycle of mood-weather relationship.

 

A daily landscape is displayed in the video, to be more precise what could be seen from a window in this city or in any other. The humidity, temperature, color in scenery according to the season of the year and the specific weather of every place affect (some more, some less) the state of mind from human beings who inhabit it.

 

Environmental Disturbances is an installation that works inversely to this process: the user may, from the ideas the landscape triggers, concentration and attention paid to the video, modify some aspects in the weather, lights, color and events occurring in the city. This way an environmental-narrative cycle happens through the user's state of mind, who can focus on changing the landscape in order to fit his/her mood.

 

The audience has access to the interactive video by using a device on the head. This device reads electrical activity in the brain. Every time the user generates different patterns (if thinking or feeling more intensely), transitions start in the video, conformed by several layers of events; the interpretation of attention, meditation and other user's brain waves happens in real time. As each brain shows different patters, the experience won't be the same for every user, but it will always depend on how focused or relaxed he/she is in that moment.

 

The brainwave sensor sends data via bluetooth, which is interpreted by a program designed by the artist. A set of rules trigger the different video layers in vvvv.

 

This work is based on research about Seasonal Affective Disorder, in which some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. As well as some ideas from affective computing and intelligent interaction; technology in this artwork invites the user to be aware of the way environment affects his/her mood and offers the capability to change both affective state and atmosphere through the mind effort.

Reticular prints. Mexico City / Halle / Rome