Geoffrey DRAKE-BROCKMAN, Totem (2012). Perth (Australia)
At 11-metres tall, with 108 reconfigurable petals and three laser projectors,
Totem is one of the world's largest and most complex interactive artworks. The
work responds to pedestrian movements and is sensitive to environmental
conditions.
Totem was commissioned in November 2012 by the Government of Western Australia
for the pedestrian plaza adjacent to the Perth Arena entertainment stadium.
The work incorporates a laser projection artwork titled "Translight" that creates nightly a variable "geometric narrative" light composition on the Eastern wall of the Arena. The kinetic responses of Totem vary depending on pedestrian activity-levels, as sensed via its six microwave motion detectors. The work can assume regular, symmetric configurations as well as entering chaotic transitional states.
Totem has been nicknamed "The Pineapple" by the people of Perth. It
is the latest in a series of robotic artworks by Drake-Brockman that explore
the potential for emergence in relationship between machines and people.
The Artist
notes that his background in Computer Science informs his project to create
automata, which he explains further at his recent talk TEDx talk, for details
see: www.drake-brockman.com.au
More information, please visit:
http://www.drake-brockman.com.au/totem.html