On the third day of my 5-in-5 challenge, I began by testing the reflective effects of different materials, exploring the idea of using reflective surfaces to create a dynamic, network-like art installation. This concept emerged from discussions on utopian and dystopian visions. As Judith Butler argues in Gender Trouble, imagining a perfect utopian world is almost impossible and beyond reach, especially when dealing with gender issues. Instead, a more effective approach might be to continuously break down fixed gender structures through performativity, embracing disorder, and creating new futures that were once unimaginable.
For me, the idea of utopia follows a similar logic. I believe that our visions of an ideal world are often shaped by deeply personal values and beliefs, making them projections of the self. However, what feels like utopia to me might be dystopia to someone else, and vice versa. This led me to consider how I could create a decentralized, network-like system—drawing from Deleuze’s concept of the rhizome—that embodies a natural, flexible, and inclusive community. One that welcomes a certain level of disorder and diversity, much like Judith Butler’s notion of staying open to chaos in Gender Trouble.
The moving devices in my installation are made from reflective materials and emit light. As visitors enter the space, they can freely move and rotate these mirrored structures. As the devices shift, their reflections interact with the environment, producing ever-changing light patterns and an immersive visual experience.
At the start of my material testing, I first experimented with transparent, iridescent, and mirrored acrylic sheets to see how light bends and reflects at different angles. I built a triangle-shaped structure similar to a prism using acrylic and added rollers to simulate how the visuals might change when the installation moves. (I really loved the kaleidoscope-like effect it created under the projection!)
Next, I tested silver mylar film (this material is truly fascinating!). Since mylar film is flexible and easily shifts, light constantly bounces and bends on its surface. When combined with a projector, it creates richer color effects with a dynamic, flowing appearance.
For my second test, I used natural sunlight instead of a projector to see how iridescent and mirrored acrylic would interact with natural light compared to artificial projection.
In the last stage of Day 3, I built a scaled-down theater prototype using cardboard. This helped me think through the spatial arrangement while also testing how reflections would look in the setup. I used Arduino and servo motors to simulate the movement of the mirrored structures.
And to observe how the overall atmosphere changed under different lighting setups, I tested with two different lighting conditions:
During testing, I realized that even though the principles of light reflection and refraction seem straightforward, in practice, they are quite unpredictable. The angles of the mirrors, the direction of the light, and especially the use of natural sunlight as a light source, all require careful adjustment based on the specific space.
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