Vibrant Prismatocarpa uses a computer program to detect vibrations generated by the viewer while scraping limestone across a surface. The surface is a table top of 3d printed tiles modeled from systems of cubes, cylinders, and spheres representing lumber and mining permits from the Congo rainforest provided by the World Resources Institute and Rainforest Parks and People. As the viewer scrapes the surface of the 3d printed tiles, the vibrations influence the visual effects of a projected video.
The video portrays the pollination of Begonia prismatocarpa, a lithophytic and epiphytic begonia that grows off of rocks and trees in the Sanaga and Congo river basins. The louder the viewer scrapes, the more motion blur is added to the video. The vibrations of the viewer scraping the limestone against the map depict the interconnectivity of the environment. The viewer is invited to grieve with the plant by understanding that their actions affect the actions of Begonia prismatocarpa.
