The artist I chose to research is Lisa Park. Park is based in both Manhattan, NY and Seoul, South Korea. She has acquired degrees from both ArtCenter College in Pasadena, CA and NYU Tisch. Her works are three-dimensional in nature and based on biofeedback technology, whether it be her subject’s heart rate or mood. Many of her works focus on brain waves. The artist has found ways to quantify certain moods or emotional states and portray them as colors or patterns.
While Park has created several fascinating works on display throughout the world, there were a specific few that really captivated me. Heartmonic utilizes the concept of an orchestra to create its art. The participants become the “instruments,” and their body movements (determined by the “conductor” who is the artist) produce the sound. I find this to be quite interesting, since even though the music is controlled by the participants’ heart rate, the brain still plays a role in this experience. Participants can focus in on their breathing and heart rate and remain mindful throughout the duration of the song being performed. Psychological control is an important aspect of any of Park’s biofeedback-based works, as the brain’s power over the rest of the body is pervasive but crucial.
Another piece that fascinated me is Eudaimonia. Not only does the technology reflect brain waves onto the surface of pools of water, data visualizations are created that are shared to Instagram. Social media plays an integral role in the dissemination of 21st century art, which is why Park’s ability to display her works on social media (beyond just photos of the exhibit) is important. The piece plays with the concepts of “attention” and “meditation” and how the ripples in the water are created are dependent on the participant’s current state of focus. Park’s works have an incredible ability to entice her audience and express important lessons regarding the human body and its connection to the world. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Park and her portfolio.
Photos of Park’s work can be found here:
https://www.thelisapark.com/
Sources:
https://www.thelisapark.com/