For my midterm, I wanted to create an art piece in awareness to marine pollution so I created Jellyplastic. Constructed by found object, I wanted to depict this beautiful sea creature in contrast to the materials of human’s waste that is actually destroying their homes.

This is how I made the piece: https://www.instructables.com/id/Jelly-Plastic/

My circuit had some problems, the first problem is that one of the LED on the jellyplastic’s head works only when the conductive legs are touching each other, so when the whole piece has lit up and the legs aren’t touching anymore it won’t open. The second problem is another LED on the jellyplastic’s head is loose and when audience touches the head the LED will light up. However, I feel that even though the LEDs don’t work as I expected, I think it contributes to making the piece more beautiful, and more alive.

I see my piece in an exhibition to raise awareness about environmental issues. For future iteration, I think I will reconsider my switch because through observation, users are more drawn to touch the head of the jellyplastic than interacting with its legs. Also, I want to create jellyplastic on a whole new scale and have a different display under the same concept.