Visualized as a grove of beautiful low hanging trees- “Grove” is an interactive art installation that uses breath sensors to create a meditative and immersive experience. A reflection on the interdependence of breath, grove uses biofeedback sensors to make our invisible world visible through technology.
The installation reminds us that we are constantly in union with the natural world. Sit beneath a tree, in an oasis of LED lights, and a mechanical flower with proximity sensors opens up. As you take a deep breath in to take in the fragrance of the flower, you empty the tree of light. And as you breathe out, you fill the tree with the light of your breath, reminding us of our symbiotic relationship with the natural world. Breathing becomes the thread that connects all things.
Everytime you breathe in, you breathe the “outbreath” of a forest. We are interconnected and oxygenated because of nature.
Our work comes out of research examining biosynchronization, lots of studies show that the breath rates of teachers teaching a class and their students, or lovers and close family members often sync up when in an intimate environment. Upon receiving feedback from the tree, the participants will also consciously start to breathe together, making the grove brighter and illuminated.