Balint Bolygo

Bolygó Bolygo’s work explores the similarity between the artistic and scientific mind. His work explores how both minds are motivated by the same need to discover/uncover, and turn resulting ideas into totalities.

His work explores the artistic practice through a process of invention, science and engineering. His mechanical instruments become autonomous and investigate the making process independently. The relationship between the cyclic and predictable nature of the machine and the unpredictability of the human touch conjures up both notions of random chaos and universal order. With the elimination of the artist’s touch, the natural universal forces become the creators of the artwork and the emphasis shifts towards the ‘act of creation’ being the object of beauty. The machine’s process and the resulting images become inseparable dynamics of the work. See more;

Trace

Trace is a sculptural device that alludes to scientific discoveries and pseudoscientific concepts such as phrenology, physiognomy, and craniometry. A revolving plaster cast of the artist's head is slowly deconstructed into a mathematical diagram that changes as time passes. The peculiarities of the human face that as humans, we attach so much importance to, is dematerialised into a changing drawing that embodies the differential undulations of the human anatomy. Trace questions our notion of self and how through technology we have found different visual representations for the individual. DNA profiling, retina scans and the fingerprint are all things that are conjured up by the meticulous mechanical process of the work. The topographical images are turned into a new form of three-dimensional representation that draws our attention to the space within.

SHM Lissajous

This is a drawing/projecting mechanism that creates images (Lissajous curves) using twin elliptic harmonic movement. The movement of a pendulum and its deflecting pendulum result in a fine point scratching a fine layer of carbon off a sheet of glass. With the aid of an overhead projector this process is instantaneously transferred into a light drawing. The images are the results of traces of the time and movement whilst the pendulum is pulled to equilibrium by the Earth's gravitational pull. These gravity-induced drawings hint at recognizable images found in nature that have also been formed by this universal force. The soot that is on the glass relates to Carbon being an abundant component of life and also of the Universe. The earth's gravitational pull is harnessed to produce completely unique forms that often resemble images not dissimilar from ones found in astronomy. The drawings created with this piece are have been made into light boxes.

Aurora

Aurora refers to the astrophysical phenomenon of the polar lights caused by solar winds. The piece is an installation that uses a combination of rotating and fixed mirrors and strong lasers. Due to optical laws of internal reflection and refraction, the light effects create a changing light sculpture out of the whole space, where no two moments are the same. The architectural features of the Town Hall Lobby define the unique nature and structure of the piece.

Whilst occupying real space and volume, ‘Aurora’ opens up an eternal virtual space of light within our own familiar and tangible environment. It displaces the viewer into an entirely new spatial experience that raises questions about human perceptions of form, space and time.

“I wanted to create a piece that is about transforming a familiar environment in an unexpected and non-invasive way. To compose an event with the space where the element of chance and order combine, to dislocate the viewer in a unique sensory experience.”

Thanks to Sam Collier for the tip!