Daniel Rozin
Overview:
Daniel Rozin is an interactive artist, educator, and developer. His works are most prominent in the area of interactive digital art and often strive to make the viewer a part of the piece. His sculptures take the forefront of the pieces with the digital computerization in the background, out of site. Having done hundreds of exhibitions, Rozin is a very well known interactive artist having art all across the world.
Work:
Daniel Rozin in his work finds an idea and explores it through many ways often repeating a concept. He has done many works like kinetic sculptures, proxxi prints, and glass sculptures, but is most known for his many mechanical mirrors. Rozin uses many different items and mechanically rotates them to display the reflection of the viewer. Daniel stated, “The two main ideas that my work investigates are viewer participation and image creation”, and the mechanical mirrors do exactly that. The three works I will be highlighting are Self Centered Mirror, Yves and Marilyn / New York Skyline Proxxi composite, and Wooden Mirror.
Self Centered Mirror –
- 34 panes of mirror, Wood. Size – 120 Inches W 30 inches H 25 inches D.
- This piece puts the viewer in a position where all mirrors are focused on them and removing anyone else from their view. Displaying a sense of narcissism to the viewer.
Yves and Marilyn / New York Skyline Proxxi composite –
- Digital print. Size – 24 inches by 30 inches Print
- This work utilizes Rozins proxxi print method. A method that allows the user to see different images depending on the distance from the piece. From far it is the Yves and Marilyn Photo, and when closer the New York Skyline photo. This interactivity allows the viewer to discover this interesting print.
Wooden Mirror – In Depth
- 830 square pieces of wood, 830 servo motors, control electronics, video camera, computer, wood frame. Size – W 67” x H 80” x D 10” (170cm , 203cm, 25cm).
Overview – The first mechanical mirror Rozin had ever built, now displayed in the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Utilizing a camera, computer, stepper motors and wood blocks, this piece allows the user to see themselves in an uncommon way.
Interactivity – The user faces the piece and discovers slowly what it is by noticing the reflection. In the picture displayed, the camera is set up so the discovery is quick with the user instantly realizing it is them being displayed. Inside the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh I noticed children often try to make it move a lot by running back and forth triggering the steppers to switch and make noise.
How it Works – At its simplest the Wooden Mirror uses a camera, computer, stepper motors, wooden blocks and a light. The camera sends the video image of the viewer to the computer which decides the areas of the image are light/dark which sends messages to the stepper motors to turn the wooden blocks in a certain direction to replicate the light and dark areas. There is also a light that will help promote the bright areas by having the brightest parts of the image have the wooden block face the light.
Conclusion –
Daniel Rozin is a well experienced interactive artist that looks to explore concepts deeply. Finding a concept that utilizes the interactivity of a user along with displaying an image. His works in the Self Centered Mirror, Yves and Marilyn / New York Skyline Proxxi composite, and Wooden Mirror execute his philosophy perfectly. Certainly an artist to study and look out for in the future.