MURMUR
Anchorage Museum, AK and Mystic Seaport Museum, CT
2018
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Murmur is an installation combining kinetic sculpture with a mixed-reality holographic experience, placing visitors within an Arctic landscape. The form is based on the exploration of Arctic landforms called pingos – ice mounds rising from permafrost soil that grow over centuries on the tundra, and then collapse, leaving scars on the land. They have historically served as landmarks and vantages for Inuit hunters as well as lookouts for polar bears, wolves and other predators. The sculpture is also informed by the fleeting movement of murmurations of arctic birds, contrasting the slow evolution of a pingo. Reilly Donovan designed the holographic mixed-reality component of the project using Microsofts' Hololens as well as a related tablet application.
IMAGES
Murmur, installed at the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, 2018. Salvaged Alaskan yellow cedar, steel, kinetics. 15’ H x 42’ x 38’ (in the closed position). Murmur was also installed at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut in 2018. After its exhibition cycle, Murmur will be permanently installed at the Anchorage Museum.
MURMUR
Anchorage Museum, AK and Mystic Seaport Museum, CT
2018
Murmur is an installation combining kinetic sculpture with a mixed-reality holographic experience, placing visitors within an Arctic landscape. The form is based on the exploration of Arctic landforms called pingos – ice mounds rising from permafrost soil that grow over centuries on the tundra, and then collapse, leaving scars on the land. They have historically served as landmarks and vantages for Inuit hunters as well as lookouts for polar bears, wolves and other predators. The sculpture is also informed by the fleeting movement of murmurations of arctic birds, contrasting the slow evolution of a pingo. Reilly Donovan designed the holographic mixed-reality component of the project using Microsofts' Hololens as well as a related tablet application.
IMAGES
Murmur, installed at the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, 2018. Salvaged Alaskan yellow cedar, steel, kinetics. 15’ H x 42’ x 38’ (in the closed position). Murmur was also installed at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut in 2018. After its exhibition cycle, Murmur will be permanently installed at the Anchorage Museum.
PROCESS
Murmur was fabricated over a six-month period beginning in the summer of 2017 with the full studio team of 20 in the Seattle studio along with 8 interns. Henry Cowdery led with CAD. Steve Coulter designed the fluid movement system. Gary Gill consulted for structural engineering. Brandon Aleson designed the control system. Chris McMullen and Thomas York fabricated the steel ribs and base with parts cut by Art and Industrial (laser cutting). Patina applied to the steel by the studio team. Riley Donovan designed the mixed reality experience employing Microsoft's Hololens as well as designing a tablet application. The video on main project page best describes the fabrication process.