Traces

Projection (1:15)

This animated projection is a representation of personal and physical growth as time passes and societal expectations morph. The first half is set in my childhood bedroom - the pink and green stripes mimicking the brushstrokes that my parents once made on the attic walls. The second half of the animation is set in my college apartment. The crisscrossing stripes, also reminiscent of the past, match my current wallpaper.

The idea of growth is depicted through the movement of white droplets of water, which slowly warp and crawl across the building. I created this effect by filming black droplets of paraffin wax on a white plastic panel, brought to life with spritzes of mist from a spray bottle. At the beginning of the sequence, the wax looks like mold spreading or cracks forming in concrete. However the wax turns into roots when contextualized by blooming flowers towards the end of the animation.

Part of a larger body of work, this piece was projected onto the Caliza at the 2024 Digital Graffiti Projection Mapping Festival in Alys Beach, Florida, alongside other ASH Scholars and Digital Storytelling students from the University of Missouri. These projections were over 250 feet long and required three professionally rigged projectors.