The pneumatic installation SHOAL is made up of five seemingly grand bodies. Their skin is not covered in scales, nor do they have fins. A fragile film of polyethylene clings to everything it approaches. The bodies never rest, they expand and collapse perpetually.
These expansions are predetermined in one way, yet continually unpredictable when you take a closer look; the material moves in its own way. What served as the prime inspiration is the pufferfish, whose defense mechanism consists of sucking water into its stomach and growing too large for his enemies to swallow.
They’re known to participate in shoaling, the act of swimming together in a group, predominantly to defend against predators. But the actors in SHOAL are not simply reacting to a dangerous environment, they are actively swapping roles by choreographically attacking the spectators. The act of inflation is no longer their last resort but is used to intimidate over and over again.
Music: Nctrnm - Escapade
Materials: fans, polyethylene, plywood, neodymium magnets, arduino
