_____ (the blanket)
_____ (the blanket) is an active installation piece that explores the crucial concept of self-compassion and its role in fostering a sense of well-being and mental health. The piece emphasizes the significance of being present in the moment and taking time for oneself.
During moments of emotional vulnerability, we often worsen the situation by placing ourselves under scrutiny and labeling our incapability, sadness, confusion, and anxiety as signs of weakness. While we are often told that we are the center of everything and in charge of our decisions and consequences, there are situations where we are truly powerless and incapable, yet too proud to accept it and simply let it be.
_____ (the blanket), which breaths peacefully, mimicking the healthy movement of our lungs, and feels like a living skin, serves as a tool for promoting awareness of our egos and acceptance of our vulnerability. It encourages audiences to take a moment to breathe and be present in the current moment while deconstructing their perspective of control/surrender, subject/object, and activeness/passiveness. The work describes feelings of kindness, compassion, and self-forgiveness and hopes to envelop one's fragility to ensure that one receives the time one needs, which is an essential component of a healthy and fulfilled life.
The Exhibition
The artwork was showcased at the Winterwerkschau 2023 exhibition (3rd to 5th February) as a part of the Through the Looking-Glass project, in collaboration with the b.m.b lab of the Faculty of Media at Bauhaus-Universität-Weimar. During the event, the audience was given the opportunity to physically interact with and experience the piece, enabling them to feel the fleshy texture and synchronize their breathing rhythm with the blanket.
Technique
The technology incorporated within the blanket comprises a DIY inflatable equipped with electric pumps. The electronic pump or motor is utilized to inflate small balloons through an air tube. When the value of the code reaches the maximum limit of 255, the air is automatically released through another tube into an exit motor. By employing an Arduino, the electronic pumps can function autonomously with the code that is stored in the Arduino. This leads to the creation of an ecosystem of the air pump that imitates the function and visual appearance of lung movements during breathing, without necessitating the use of digital devices.
I extend my gratitude to Christian Doeller, who contributed to the development of the electronic device and programming of the Arduino.
The First Prototype
Materials
2 Mini Electric Vacuum Pumps
Arduino
MOSFET Driver Module
Transparent Air hose and connectors
Breaboard
Plastic Tube
Air Balloons
Soldering Iron
Arduino Code
int pump_in = 3; // connect pump through mosfet on arduino pin 3 == PWM (fake anolog pin)
int pump_out = 5; // connect pump through mosfet on arduino pin 5 == PWM (fake anolog pin)
void
setup() {
// put your setup code here, to run once:
pinMode(pump_in, OUTPUT); // declare pin as output pin
pinMode(pump_out, OUTPUT); // declare pin as output pin
Serial.begin(9800);
}
void
loop() {
// put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
analogWrite(pump_out,
0); // turn off the pump
// make a for loop in order top blow up the balloon while ramping the motor
for (int i =
60; i <
255; i++) {
analogWrite(pump_in, i); // turn on the pump_in pin with value "i"
delay(50); // wait for 50 milliseconds
//Serial.println(i); // print the value of i
}
analogWrite(pump_in,
0); // turn off the pump
// delay: wait for some time
delay(1000); // wait for one second
// enter an eternal loop for prototyping
// here will be a for loop for sucking out the air again
// while (1) {}
analogWrite(pump_in,
0); // turn off the pump
// make a for loop in order top blow up the balloon while ramping the motor
for (int i =
255; i >
60; i--) {
analogWrite(pump_out, i); // turn on the pump_in pin with value "i"
delay(50); // wait for 50 milliseconds
//Serial.println(i); // print the value of i
}
analogWrite(pump_out,
0); // turn off the pump
// delay: wait for some time
delay(1000); // wait for one second
}