Introducing Astral Gate, my first large-scale art installation! Inspired by my love for kaleidoscopes, I wanted to create one that could be dynamically altered, allowing factors like the number of reflections and speed to be manipulated (some core variables in kaleidoscope design). This idea slowly evolved into what it is now: a larger-scale installation with multiple scenes displaying additional geometric patterns that I love, such as fractals, reaction diffusion, and the moiré effect.

The main body is made from CNC-cut wood with laser-cut acrylic accents. The acrylic was epoxied to the wood after painting to provide a sense of depth and contrast to the surface. The legs of the structure were turned into benches, as we needed them to provide significant structural support to allow for interaction. The screen is made of rear-projection spandex, offering a tactile experience.

The portal face houses a variety of electronics, including a reactive addressable LED strip, a button to change scenes, and two knobs to interact with the displayed visuals. All of these electronics are connected to an Arduino, which is housed inside the portal in a weatherproof junction box. The Arduino controls the LEDs and sends all peripheral interaction data to a laptop positioned behind the installation. The data from the electronic peripherals is then fed into TouchDesigner, where it is incorporated into various custom scenes. TouchDesigner then sends the video feed to the projector to complete the circuit.

On the sides of the legs are 3D-printed boxes that can be opened to reveal hidden gifts. I wanted to reward a sense of exploration. Not just viewing the art piece but getting up close to and investigating it. Most people didn’t find the gift boxes until they spent some time with the installation, which provided a pleasant surprise.

After attending Burning Man the previous month, it became clear that incorporating audio into this project would significantly increase its immersion. Engrossing oneself fully in the experience by captivating more senses helps block external distractions and allows for a deeper dive into the experience. Therefore, we incorporated a couple of weatherproof speakers at the base. Initially, we considered adding the speakers to the circle where a few smaller circles are located, but we encountered issues with overcrowding the components.

The smaller circles around the perimeter of the portal face (where the knobs and buttons are) are also made to be removable, leaving room for additional peripherals and interactive elements to be added in future iterations. What other fun and imaginative interactive elements can you think of?

After returning from Burning Man we had a month to get this baby together before Constellation 2024! Thanks to the experience and dedication of the team we were able to get it done. In the future we could probably benefit from a larger building and finishing space.

The initial rendering of Astral Gate! The vision was met with even more added on.

There are however a multitude of things that we aim to improve on for subsequent installations of this art:

• Depth sensing to provide visual feedback when touching the screen

• Additional peripheral elements (think bop-it)

• Improved knobs (the potentiometers I had didn't fare well to continued use)

• Better Rear Projection Screen that reduces the bright spot from the projector

• 4k Projector

• LED lighting under the seats

• Dynamic audio influenced by interacting

Couldn't have done it without support from 

Abe Rosenthal and Trevor Clifford!