Katherine Habeck

01 Feb 2016

Daniel Rozin
“PomPom Mirror,” 2015

This is such a mesmerizing piece by Daniel Rozin. From the video, I can tell that it is probably reading in a depth image from a Kinect mounted at the top of the “mirror”. Motors then push out and in white and black puff balls based on that depth image. The result is a surprisingly smooth reflection that is consistently transitioning from one state to another. I am particularly intrigued by the sonic element to this piece. When someone approaches the mirror, a whirring begins to happen. While this is a by-product of the motors underneath the poms, the effect it gives off seems to activate the mirror, as though it were more dynamic, lifelike, or swarming like bees.  There is also something creepy or uncanny about how solid the reflection seems, as though elements are magically reorganizing themselves in your likeness.