AURA – Nick Verstand

AURA (2017) is an audiovisual installation that materialises emotions into a perceptible, physical form. The audience’ own emotional experience manifests as organic, pulsing light compositions of various form, colour and intensity. The installation visually tributes to the Solid Light Works by artist Anthony McCall, further exploring light as a medium.

The transformation of emotions into light is accomplished by a scientific system, developed in collaboration with the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research. Using multiple wearable biosensors, the system registers brainwaves, heart-rate variability, and galvanic skin response. From the sensors, emotional “data” is analysed and metamorphosed into its symbolic representation as light. The differences in individuals’ emotional responses, being influenced by a musical composition, become visible to all who are present.

AURA explores how this perceptual process influences the understanding of ourselves and of each other. The installation symbolises the materialisation of (internal) metaphysical space into (external) physical space.

premiere
Dutch Design Week (2017)

created by
Nick Verstand
Salvador Breed
Naivi
Sophie de Krom

video
Blitzkickers

commissioned by
VPRO Medialab

special thanks
TNO
EagleScience
Effenaar
Poul Holleman
Eleonora Remmen
Maarten Kanters
Angel Callander

more info
nickverstand.com/projects/aura/