Leviathan: LTEJS (Leviathan Thermal Electric Journey Svalbard) includes a procedural generation of a dynamic Svalbard landscape influenced by thermal electric signals. The landscape distorts in response to motion, shaped by incoming data streams, to create a sensation reminiscent of motion sickness. This system incorporates thermal variations, translating the environment into a dynamic distortion within the simulation.
The shader program powering the landscape was initially developed aboard the Antigua, a Barquentine Tall Ship, during a residency with the Arctic Circle in October 2017. Originally, the shader responded to a gyroscope, mapping the ship’s movements directly to the GLSL-generated visuals. For LTEJS, the shader has been reimagined to respond to thermal transitions between hot and cold within the Leviathan system, which operates with two additional machines (LTEPS and LTECS).
This machine also functions as a cooling mechanism, regulating liquid heated by video processors and thermoelectric assemblies. By merging physical cooling processes with procedural simulations, LTEJS investigates the interplay between environmental data and its visual and physical representations, offering a distorted depiction of Arctic landscapes.
This project was made possible with support from Laumeire Sculpture Park, St. Louis
The Future is Present: February 6–May 8, 2021 / Aronson Fine Arts Center
The Future is Present: February 6–May 8, 2021 / Aronson Fine Arts Center