False Ruins: Uncanny Realism
The diorama as an object provides multiple facets for interrogation. This project is sited in the abandoned Soviet mining town of Pyramiden, located in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Residents of this town evacuated the area in
a mere three hours, leaving behind scattered
artifacts of their previous lives, with much of it remaining largely intact due to the cold weather conditions. However, with the introduction of ruin photography, authorship in the process of documentation becomes a key driving force in the project itself. The construction of each diorama seeks to emulate the active participation of a photographer in
the realm of ruin photography, engaging in the idea of arranged ruins. An artificial state of decay is explored, driving at ideas of authenticity and the curation of an illusion.
the realm of ruin photography, engaging in the idea of arranged ruins. An artificial state of decay is explored, driving at ideas of authenticity and the curation of an illusion.
Digital Decay
Texture Generation
The process begins with the creation of a binary bitmap drawing. Bringing into view the importance of the
pixel, a step is taken towards the digitalized roots of this project. A scene of a cityscape caught at a specific point of disintegration is constructed pixel by pixel, engaging in construction and deconstruction; to create and to destroy simultaneously. Original MACos preset patterns are manipulated, tying back to ideas of authenticity and ownership.
Pen-plotted Imagery
A system of connections and hierarchy is established through the generation of pen-plotted drawings. Reflecting a cyclical feedback loop of data, HPGL commands are sent to the pen-plotter to bring the otherwise digital information into an physical state. These drawings are then scanned and fed back into a Blender file as digital textures.
Diorama Views
In the construction of a false reality, there is a grappling with the pre-determined perfection of the digital form. How can one truly mirror reality without representing the kinks and imperfections of physical objects? By engaging in the modelling and texturing of all forms present in the dioramas, there is an active deviation from the perfect form, one that is distinctly unreal. A slightly beveled, crooked edge or a crumpled surface will serve as a more convincing illusion of reality compared to one that is razor-sharp.
The use of 3D modeling and animation programs like Blender has been key to the process, being the tool used to create a feigned reality in the virtual space. Each set of constructed dioramas establish an atmosphere of decomposition, yet pushing forth the narrative that this state is not naturally occuring, having been heavily edited and curated - inviting the viewer to enter this space as a willing voyeur.
Lastly, the presented views are constantly in flux throughout the final animation, actively concealing and revealing information. Thus, a state of distinct realism accompanied with obvious visual deceit is arrived at, in the building up of this false ruin.
Path Animation
