sessile is a colony of kinetic but non-motile pods that respond to changes in ambient light levels by opening and closing their limbs. Although individuals share a common form each reacts to environmental change in subtly different and often surprising ways. These differences arise from a myriad of factors including small variations in construction, surface imperfections, their orientation to ground and most importantly their internal emotional state. The later arising as each individual in the sessile colony has as continuously changing internal level of anxiety that is directly influenced by recent environmental events.
In a gallery context, a viewer's shadow becomes a part of the colony's environment and a medium of interaction. Through one's shadow, viewers cause oscillations in individual stress levels. Recent histories can lead to calmed, aggressive or defensive behaviours or even temporary dormancy.
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Video
Full documentation of sessile with images from theLivingEffect (Ottawa Art Gallery 2011).
Gallery
ArtSpace opening, 2008
sessile pod, 2008
sessile exploration, 2008
relationships through shadow, sessile @ Maker Faire