[ISEA2019] Paper: Scott Hessels — Fugitive Color and the Choreographed Escape

Abstract

Keywords: Smart Materials, Chromism, Programmed Display, Thermochromic Pigments, Fugitive Color

For centuries, color was mortal, its fate tied to its organic roots. Fugitive colors change due to an array of factors and have tragically distanced the art artefact from the artists’ intent. Developments in chemistry gradually synthesized pigments that defied the inevitable. The quest for fixed color however took an unusual turn with the discovery of liquid crystal display. Electronic control of the crystal structure sparked recent display evolution, but the same effect can be triggered through environmental factors. Adding deliberate temporality to hue and matching it with hardware controls, a class of artworks is emerging that utilizes these new pigments. Technology first halted the dying of colors of Art History and has now given them life. Smart materials can now be programmed, choreographing the chemistry that once threatened masterpieces. The paper will discuss fugitive colors as villain, captive and hero, presenting recent projects that embrace colors that won’t sit still.

  • Scott Hessels is an American filmmaker, sculptor and media artist based in Hong Kong whose artworks explore new relationships between the moving image and the environment. He produced some the first experiments in the fields of online streaming and locative media and has mixed cinema with a range of emerging technologies including computational sensors, robotics, GPS systems, and alternative forms of interactivity. His data-driven works have included partnerships with key science and govern- ment organizations, his films have shown internationally, and his new media installations have been presented in museum exhibitions focusing on both technology and fine art. His recognitions include patents for developed technologies, references in books and periodicals on new media art, and coverage in cultural media like Wired and Discover. He is currently an associate professor at The School of Creative Media and executive producer of the Extreme Environments Programme which organizes art/science expeditions to environmentally significant sites.

Full text (PDF) p. 458-460

The work described in this paper was fully supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China [Project No. CityU16274416 Reactive Media Display]