ume
"ume" (2006) is a kinetic light work by ~ in the fields (DE). [Work distributed by V2_Agency]
ume
ume captures the precise moment of the cyclical transition from winter to spring, symbolizing the hope of regeneration and a new beginning. Inspiring was a haiku by the Japanese poet Buson of plum blossoms returning to a leafless tree in a moonlit night.
ume comprises self-contained revolving images of plum
blossoms in the form of thaumatropes, powered by solar cells. One side
of the disk depicts leafless shoots stemming from the branches of a
plum tree. On the reverse are bright red blossoms in several stages of
development. Due to the persistence of vision, the eyes paint a single
image out of two.
Only with the rays of the sun will the blossoms be seen in their
entirety, as the sunlight provides the essential energy for the work to
come to life.
ume is the first outcome of the aim to integrate alternative energy ~ in the fields.
The sun should not be seen as merely an energy source – it is an
integral part of the concept and forms the work itself. Each of the 50
components reacts autonomously to the light stimulus provided by 50
solar cells. Even the smallest changes in the sky, such as moving
clouds, are mirrored. In binary terms, there is spring or there is
not.
The movement of air created by the thaumatropes evokes the
sensation of a breeze wafting through the branches of a tree.
Only the scent of the blossom is absent.
