Marco Pinter, Reflections and Object Permanence

Marco Pinter explores the fusion of physical movement with visualizations in the virtual world. He finds inspiration in dance and sculpture, but also in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and mathematics. His work frequently has two manifestations: one in performance; and the second as an installation, where the public can interactively experience the piece. This process becomes cyclical, wherein Pinter can observe participants creating new ways of interacting with the installation, which can later be integrated into the evolving piece.

Reflections investigates loneliness, mortality, and existence within a frenetic world. The participant sees his or her shadow cast by an imagined setting sun and projected onto the image of a field. As the sun descends, the shadow becomes longer and more surreal, creating a Giacometti-like reflection of oneself. Trees and bushes blow as other shadow figures pass behind the participant at a rapid rate. The participant’s shadow moves slowly in comparison, like a time-lapse video of a tree growing, creating an experience of floating through one’s ephemeral existence on Earth.

The Object Permanence series explores our perception of the existence of objects over time, which is fundamental to how we experience the world and our place in it. By exploiting the perceptual effect of object permanence through the use of graphics, computers and robotically-controlled sculpture, the viewer perceives objects over time which do not in fact exist. The “virtual” objects in the works behave as physical objects, thus impacting the gallery’s and viewer’s corporeal space. The work cycles between states of chaos and order, where the component sculptural systems are alternatively perturbed and at peace. Object Permanence II is a collaboration with artist Nick Loewen.

This work is funded in part by the Media Arts & Technology program of the University of California, and the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center.