In collaboration with Pauric Freeman
Made possible with the support of MACA
EQUILIBRIUM
Certain proportions create a sense of holy balance. Iconic works such as the Parthenon, the Great Pyramid, Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man, Brancusi’s Bird in Space, Bach’s Goldberg Variations, and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, all rely on the same geometric balance. When we encounter elements or formations that feel balanced, they soothe us.
However, a great work doesn't have to be in balance. Sometimes the point of art is to showcase imbalance or to create a sense of unease. This concept is vividly explored in the artwork 'Equilibrium,' which delves into a continuous interplay between balance and imbalance.
In their new piece, 'Equilibrium,' artists Pauric Freeman and Sebastiaan Smink experiment with the dynamic interplay between balance and imbalance. During their artist residency at the Moving Arts Centre Amsterdam (MACA), Freeman and Smink have meticulously studied this interplay.
Upon entering the artwork's space, visitors are greeted with a 4 x 7-meter projection display that screens an interactive media artwork. Visitors are invited to sit on a large tribune, under an impressive laser towering above them in the middle. A hidden video projector casts a series of abstract scenes depicting white shapes balancing on a blue laser beam.
The interaction between the laser and the shapes projected by the video projector gives viewers a sense of floatation. The laser moves slowly up and down, pushing and pulling the abstract white blocks from the top to the bottom of the screen. Accompanying this visual dance, the audio system emits a deep humming soundscape, enhancing the feeling that this scene is a balancing act in space.
The serene scenes are suddenly disrupted by explosive bursts of overwhelming, stroboscopic sequences of brutalist line formations, only for the installation to return back to balance.
'Equilibrium' marks the first collaboration between Sebastiaan and Pauric. As the piece embarks on a tour, it opens up new opportunities for experiencing their distinctive approach to art and technology. The artists are currently coordinating exhibition dates across various venues, each selected to enhance the viewer's interaction with this compelling interplay of light and structure.