itp oddities

ASSIGNMENT // UNITY GAME ENGINE:

Final Project: Create a Digital Joseph Cornell / Betye Saar Box (Interactive Assemblage).

Think about the objects you place in your Cornell Box.

• What do these objects represent poetically, personally or metaphorically?
• How will you use animation, interactivity and real-time environments to bring these objects to life?
• Will this be a screen-based work? A mobile piece? A projected work? An installation?
• What sort of style or theme do you want your box to have?

.‧₊˚ ⋅ CLEANSED BY FIRE .⋅˚₊‧.

At first I really struggled with what I wanted to incorporate in my Cornell Box and how I wanted to approach the project. Lately I have been really interested in symbolism, magic, ritual, and how these themes play into digital experiences. I was also inspired by Joseph Cornell’s use of nature in his assemblage box pieces.

When thinking about these themes, I thought about the symbolism of a labyrinth and the cathartic process of walking a labyrinth, clearing the mind, the concept of balance, and how a labyrinth can grant spiritual clarity.

That also inspired me to think about the shedding of that which does not serve and how I have often related the power of fire as a powerful cleansing force. Coming from California, I have seen my fair share of wildfires and the destructive but life-giving force it has held not just for me personally, but for my home. Often we are told to fear destruction and death, but in the ashes of what once was there is rebirth and renewal.

I wish I had the written piece with me, but it made me recall a journal entry I wrote while flying away from California and looking down to see the scars of fire and how it was a fearsome but beautiful force and reflecting on the symbolic meaning of the regenerative Phoenix who finds both life and death in flames.

My box is a tribute to the ways in which I have been tested by fire, forced to find balance within, and the spaces and places that speak to me spiritually and give me a grounded sense of home.

Lately, I have struggled to find balance and clarity and find myself in a big shift in my life and who I want to become. This project felt especially close to home in my current contemplation and struggle of shedding, becoming, and most of all finding balance which is something I am lacking lately.

THE PROCESS:

My first step was sourcing some 3d files I could start my build with. While I had a rough conceptual idea, I figured that as my digital assemblage took shape, it could change what I wanted to include and how I wanted to include it.

I knew I wanted to focus on nature and fire, so I sourced some assets and particle effects of fire and ash that would help my first world take shape.

Once I had those items, I shifted to sculpting my labyrinth and the digital space it would occupy. I decided that I would start out in a barren landscape burnt by fire, raining ash, skies a burnt orange, and still smoking from the fire that had run its course.

I looked up photos of outdoor labyrinths and then got to work putting that towards the center of the piece to start off with. I then sculpted the mountains and uneven ground surface to give it more of a realistic topography. Afterward, I painted on different swatches of ground patterns before moving on to foliage.

The foliage part was kind of a pain because not all of my assets worked with the brush which meant that for a lot of the detail, I had to place everything manually which took a lot more time. I ended up not getting as far in this process as I would have liked simply because of my limited time, but I really liked this project so I will most likely revisit it again down the line.

After the addition of some spots of fire and the raining ash, I went on to craft the center of the labyrinth which would consist of the only living items in that space- a grassy floor, some flowers, and a redwood sapling. Redwoods are not only a native tree to California (and one of my favorites!), but they have a natural fire-resistant quality due to their thick, spongey bark.

The idea was that the user would walk through the labyrinth until they reached the middle, clicked on the sapling, and would be transported to the next space. This portion kept breaking the script in my build so unfortunately I had to leave it off but will revisit and troubleshoot another time.

This space is meant to represent healing, balance, and a calm after the storm. It features a giant redwood tree against a fantastic morning sky. There are still particles floating, but instead of heavy black ashes they are light and fluffy, almost like the nostalgic feeling of dust dancing in the light filtering through a window.

The tree is surrounded by several symbolic items representing both my home that has gone through the fires of change as well as myself:

• A broken sculpture arm, reminiscent of a helping hand that reaches out to help and heal despite it being broken itself. It also reminded me a little of the figa charm which is a representation of fertility and protection.
• An old school tv playing a video from a hike in one of my favorite places, with one of my favorite people, during one of the best wildflower super blooms I have ever seen.
• An abalone shell has always represented the beaches of Monterey County for me and the hours I spent there growing up. We would always try to find whole ones and considered it lucky if you did. It is also a representation of the land because it is meaningful to the people who are the original stewards of the land I call home, the Ohlone and Rumsen peoples.
• The strength tarot card from a deck that has always spoken to me and I have used to give really powerful readings for both myself and others. It is representative of inner strength, fortitude, and leaning into vulnerability and love as a source of strength.
• The monarch butterfly who also shares my home and dually serves as a symbol of metamorphosis and regeneration.

THE RESULT:

I foresee this project being in either VR or a combination of real life and video projection. I think it would be good to add more to the symbolism area or have it so that the symbols cycle through slightly different combinations. Because this is based on so many things that I know and have access to in real life, I would like to incorporate more 3d scans of things that are meaningful to me as well as details from the fires themselves like 3d scans of burnt trees or objects that are meaningful to people that have been burned in the California fires and make it more of a cathartic group piece. I also would like to dial in some of the design and interactions given more time down the line.

The final result of both scenes can be played at the link here and viewed at the videos below.

. ݁⊹ ݁˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚. ݁₊