Meditation For Microbes and Trees

Meditation for Microbes and Trees

2023

Experimental Film

Materials: Analog camera, CRT television, video feedback loops, binaural audio

 

Meditation for Microbes and Trees is an experimental film that examines the intricate relationship between microorganisms and the trees vital for producing oxygen, set against the backdrop of our ongoing climate crisis. Created using an analog camera pointed at a CRT television to capture dynamic feedback loops, the work draws inspiration from James P. Crutchfield’s Space-Time Dynamics in Video Feedback and my transformative month-long visit to India in the winter of 2018.

 

Visually, the film navigates the interconnectedness and disconnectedness between nature and technology, weaving evolving rhythms of video feedback with reflections on ecological interdependence. The soundscape, composed of binaural audio created with my voice, rocks, and other analog elements, envelops the viewer in a sensory-rich environment that mirrors the tension between connection and fragmentation in our world.

 

Through its mesmerizing fusion of visuals and soundscapes, Meditation for Microbes and Trees invites viewers to reflect on the complex dance between the microscopic and the monumental, the organic and the technological. It challenges audiences to consider the impacts of our technological and consumer choices on the natural world and how sustainable practices, like recycling electronic waste, can nurture a more equitable coexistence between digital tools and fragile ecosystems.

 

This work is both a meditative and cautionary exploration of existence, highlighting the tenuous balance between harmony and disruption. By blending abstract imagery with evocative sound, Meditation for Microbes and Trees offers a contemplative lens through which to reevaluate humanity’s place within a fragile yet resilient interconnected world.