The Center and the Periphery (Arc of Electricity)

A cube made of ultracal, with two wires and a controller connected that generate an arc of plasma.

Installation, Video, Ultracal, Wires, Plasma

2022

Physical

Plasma is the fourth state of matter. It is the most abundant form of ordinary matter in the universe. When humans learned how to harness electrical energy around the time of The Industrial Revolution, society embarked upon an unstoppable course of industrialization and innovation. Inventors and industrialists sought to capitalize on the opportunities of the time and created many exploitative systems that we know today as a direct result of the advancements of the time. Now, life is unimaginable without electricity—it very literally makes life as we know it possible. I wanted to display plasma in a visible, accessible way that showcased how loud and powerful physical energy (in the form of ionized gas) can be. Two tiny wires produce a spark along with a loud popping and cracking squeal. The plasma is so strong it causes oxygen atoms to bond with other oxygen atoms to produce ozone gas—the unmistakable smell of electricity.

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