Feel the force: Kinetic sculpture tests the water

Seoul – May the Force be With You is an interactive kinetic installation by South Korean artist Teo Park that takes one of nature’s most peaceful forces – water – and puts it under the control of the viewer.

The sculpture consists of a miniature tank filled with water, which is mechanically controlled so that it tilts back and forth. A webcam image of the tank is projected onto a large space, in front of which viewers stand. A camera captures gestures they make with their hands, and sends the data to the motors controlling the movement of the tank. The result is an illusion of a large body of water controlled by the viewer.

The installation appeals to The New Sublimity mindset, which encourages a move away from digital over-saturation to a more sublime, meditative lifestyle. For more on how the poetry of nature is being mimicked in kinetic design, read our Kinetic Nature design direction.