What is it?
The purpose of this project is to create an artefact for the purposes of controlling a sensory environment. It’s a wooden slab, laser etched, with a copper overlay in a geometric pattern that functions as a touch circuit.
Why make it?
The slab is designed to reconfigure our typically relationships to technological control. Sociologist Anthony Giddens describes technology as having a disembedding effect upon people. By this he means a separation of ourselves from our bodies, time and space and that this is an uneasy condition created for economic expediency rather than a conscious desire to meet needs. It’s part of an investigation into re-embedding – bringing our bodies time and space to a focal point.
It attempts to reorient experience along the following lines
Using materials derived from nature or containing references to nature
Revealed circuitry rather than encased
Intuitive touch rather than utilitarian touch
Specificity in artefact rather than unsigned mass produced objects
Process
To make the underlying slab of wood I’ve cut a live edge piece of black walnut, my plan is to laser engrave the geometric pattern upon it. Then upon the raised edges I plan to coat the raised edges in copper conductive paint.