home exhibits testimonials contributors downloads installationdetails


Moderation

This work draws its inspiration from Princess Mononoke by the legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki.  Participants step through a shallow stream and their presence triggers a magical flowering of life. They must tread with care though, for as the title implies, over aggressive demands on the environment have unintended consequences.
   

Video

 

View this video in your web-browser at:

Exhibitions

Press

"Do we control our environment or does it control us? Artist Zack Booth Simpson creates an atmosphere that physically changes depending on the viewer's actions. A self-taught artist and video game programmer, Simpson takes delight in treating the audience as a variable in his game theory. On careful study, like an anthropologist but with math skills, Simpson predicts behavioral outcomes. A rocky-bottomed pool of water is projected on the floor. When you step into this virtual pond, gentle ripples appear on the water's surface. This charming reaction leads you further into the piece. If you stand still, dragonflies buzz up to your place in increasing numbers and gently follow the contours of your shadow. Walk slowly, and colorful algae flowers bloom under your feet. It's a hopelessly lovely effect, for kids of all ages. But if you chase these virtual creatures or move quickly, they all run away. There is a visual experiential reward for calm behavior. Can artists really modify behavior? This aspect of the piece is what takes it beyond the realm of the techie and into the realm of a cultural critique, real social knowledge, and great art."

22 to Think About
Rachel Koper
The Austin Chronicle
August 26th, 2005