STEPHANIE ANDREWS

In Lifeblood, I use a computer to control the discrete binary release of air bubbles in a tank of water. By orchestrating these bubble-pixels, I create fleeting patterns and forms that rapidly decay in the medium of water, leaving only a gurgling, chaotic residue at the top. Intuitively sequenced, the animation includes specific information carrying patterns that are found throughout nature, like the double helix.

The animated visual and auditory rhythms of Lifeblood are also a meditation on the essential importance of the elements water and air. In this piece I emphasize the highlights that occur on the delicate surfaces of the bubbles, drawing attention to the rich borderlands where different elements are brought in contact with each other. This diagonal view reveals how the three dimensional forms created by the bubbles are reflected on the interior surfaces of the tank, adding another layer of visual complexity to the piece and playing with the phenomena of transparency. Here you can see how the rising bubbles shine very brightly from the strong overhead illumination. When seeing it in person, many people comment on how the shape and movement of the bubbles remind them of organic lifeforms like jellyfish or mushroom caps