Mirror Neurons
2022, Interactive augmented reality installation
Supporting developers: Selina Wernike und Dagmar Schürrer
The installation is based on an imaginary north-south axis. Drawn across Europe, a far-reaching political shift to the right began at the ends of this axis in 2022; in Sweden with the abdication of Magdalena Andersson, in Italy with the election of Giorgia Meloni.
The virtual work processes these developments in a structure that shows similarities with a neural network. When approaching the neuron nodes, which are covered with a spiky sealed, cactus-like surface, they each begin to sound.
The Spatial Audio application is based on a library of sounds produced and edited by the artist. “Volumetric Audio” is used, a plug-in that extends the standard audio functions of Unity. It uses colliders of a game object for the calculation of the sonic spatialisation; in this case in the form of three-dimensional capsules adapted to each respective neuron node. Coupled to their own changing position in the room, visitors create sonic relations.
Text: Anke Eckardt