Microcosm

Microcosm is an interactive light sculpture that treats its environment as part of the work itself. Built around a miniature, enclosed landscape of branches and fiber optics, the piece changes in response to the amount of light surrounding it; creating a small system that almost felt alive.

An Arduino and photoresistor continuously read the ambient light level and translate those changes into the behavior of the installation. As the environment shifts, the system adjusts the internal lighting and motor driving the fiber-optic display, causing points of light to brighten, dim, and move throughout the structure.

The enclosure was fabricated by hand using plasma cutting, MIG welding, and metal bending, combining electronics, programming, metal fabrication, and sculptural construction in a single piece.