FloW
Interactive light installation.
Artists: Florent Schirrer.
Production: SAIAR Lab.
Year of creation: 2025.
Artists: Florent Schirrer.
Production: SAIAR Lab.
Year of creation: 2025.
Artistic Intent and Concept Note
Theme: Visualizing the flow of people in a public space.
Philosophy : FloW invites us to perceive the invisible choreography of the places we move through every day. The installation acts as a mirror of the past and present: each gesture influences the visual flow, but it is primarily the cumulative movements of previous viewers that create the overall pattern. The work reveals the collective dynamics of spaces and allows us to become aware of the main flows of movement.
Matter and symbol: The project is based on a system of virtual particles that move fluidly. This abstraction transforms individual gestures into visible traces, translating the collective energy of a space.
Fundamental experience: The viewer first discovers that they can directly influence the flow of light through their own movements. This realization quickly encourages experimentation, playing with trajectories, and interacting with the movements of others, creating dynamic collective patterns.
Description of the device
Physical elements:
- Giant LED screen or large-format video projection (~ 6 × 3.3 m)
- A computer for real-time processing
- Giant LED screen or large-format video projection (~ 6 × 3.3 m)
- A computer for real-time processing
Interactive components:
- One or two 3D cameras (Orbbec Femto Mega) or one or two 2D LiDAR scanners to capture movement
- One or two 3D cameras (Orbbec Femto Mega) or one or two 2D LiDAR scanners to capture movement
Visual rendering:
A stream of fluid, luminous particles projected onto the screen or via video projection
A stream of fluid, luminous particles projected onto the screen or via video projection
Dimensions and space required:
Floor area: 6 × 3.3 m (or equivalent to the display area)
Conditions: Avoid direct sunlight (for proper 3D camera operation); diffuse natural light is preferable, and indoor installation is best.
User interaction scenario
Initial action: The spectator enters the area and moves freely.
Triggering: Each movement generates a light trail in the form of a stream of particles that retraces its movements.
Collective interaction: Visitors may intertwine their currents, create whirlpools, or amplify the overall movement by gathering together.
Sensory feedback: Movements are immediately translated into visible light flow, providing direct and intuitive visual feedback.
End of the experiment: The light trails remain visible for several minutes, then gradually stabilize into a slight fluid movement, until the arrival of new spectators.
Contextual and logistical information
Support/Production: Funded and produced by SAIAR Lab
Exhibition History:
Bump Festival 2025 , Kortrijk (Belgium), June 2025
Assembly/disassembly time:
LED screen: ~3 hours (varies depending on the partner)
Camera/sensor calibration: ~3 hours
Maintenance: Low (automatic start-up, remote monitoring possible)
Estimated budget: Between €4,000 and €10,000 depending on existing equipment.
