In Vitro | In Vivo, Nagoya, Japan
Installation 5′ wide by 12 feet tall (approx.)
Glass, steel, latex sheeting, plastic tubing, fermentaion supplies, fresh persimmon, cell phone, computer,steel, commuter trains, human programming, digital transmission of VRML data, via cell phone from trains to museum.
About
For 4 days a programmer traveled at high speeds on commuter trains in Japan, randomly choosing different routes. She carried a laptop computer and a cellular modem which was used to create and transmit a virtual persimmon while the organic persimmon it is based on was broken down through a natural process of fermentation. A persimmon was chosen as It is an important cultural symbol in Japan. Both were displayed together in a museum as this process was occurring. The display in the museum was intended to be silent, and nearly transparent.
The density of population and speed of travel infludenced the programmer’s ability to create the virtual form. The ability to send programming data via the cell phone connection was impacted by service interruptions. She was also interrupted by other commuters on the trains effecting her concentration. Because of these issues the programmer became part of the natural process creating the virtual persimmon. In a similar relationship, the density of the organic persimmon’s form impacted its ability to be broken down by the fermentation process. As the real persimmon in the museum metabolized, and was broken down by the fermentation process, the virtual persimmon became more dense and observable.
This piece was created when this technology was just emerging. Data showing her current location was also transmitted to the gallery, via GPS technology.
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