Cardiac Arrest

Date
2022/3

Media
Adafruit perma-proto half-sized breadboard PCB, ELEGOO Mega2560, paper plates, cardboard can, plastic heart, red LED, string, continuous motor, ultrasonic sensor

Dimension
21.5 x 21.5 x 34.5 cm

Category
Class project (VIS 147B: Electronic Technologies for Art II), Installation, Electronic Art, Arduino

"Cardiac Arrest" is an installation piece that attempts to explore the mental stress and anxiety that individuals experience in modern industrialized society. The installation is composed of a cardboard can in which a string system is nested. As viewers approach the piece, the motor suddenly pulls the hollowed plate fragments tightly while, at the same time, the red light inside the plastic heart shell stops flickering. After a few seconds, the motor unwinds the strings, and the heart begins shining again. The whole system presents a contradictory condition of a broken paper plate dangling freely when no one is around, while switching into a sudden tense state with the presence of others. The shining red light works as a symbol of life force, and the asymmetrical on and off timings give the machine a more natural feel.

Feeling relaxed on our own but tensing up under various social pressures is a common experience, and "Cardiac Arrest" continues the discussion of the useless massive production commodities since the last century. The moving plate, in contrast to those at the bottom, is given much personality but is also the one least qualified as a "plate" due to its broken shape. The imagery of plates also links to food, as overeating is a common expression of being overstressed. Due to the low power of the servo motor used in this installation, the plate fragments tend to get stuck from dangling after several contractions. This unexpected effect leads to the addition of a cardboard plate that asks for the viewers' help. However, this call for interaction leads to contradictions: the friendly help of the audience becomes the reason for the machine tensing up again, and the audience's intention keeps receiving the opposite outcome, generating their own anxiety as they become part of the work. The loud mechanical sound produced by the motor strengthens the uneasiness of the audience, placing them on the vulnerable side.

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