SNN #2: Light/Space/Prop is an interactive and dynamic art installation designed to be displayed in a public space. It is inspired by the “Light Prop for the Electric Stage,” which was created by the Bauhaus artist Lazslo Moholy-Nagy in the 1920s.
The installation consists of a tower with five moving lights. These lights have so called lenticular lenses attached to them, which distort the images they project onto the walls surrounding the tower. The lights move in a way that allows the images to shift across the walls at different speeds and rhythms. The visuals displayed are controlled by spiking neural networks (SNNs), which are projected at a large scale within the space. SNNs are a type of artificial neural network inspired by the way neurons in the brain work. Data is transmitted in the form of “spikes” or pulses, similar to the way neurons in the brain communicate.
The artist's goal is to create a new kind of light environment that incorporates motion and light as creative elements. The use of SNNs creates an ever-shifting and almost contemplative environment that slows down the viewer's perception of space and time. Overall, the installation is an updated version of Moholy-Nagy's vision for a new “electrified moving image,” and it showcases the possibilities of creating interactive and immersive public art using technology.
SNN#2 is an immersive light and sound experience giving tribute to technology in service of the arts. It will be shown on the square in front of the Stadsschouwburg Utrecht and will be on display for two nights.
The installation is made by Festival Fellow Chris Salter and Alexandre Saunier.