I’m not sure how I found this yesterday, but I’m glad I did. The above video shows a kinetic sculpture titled “Ultima Mudfox” by artist U-Ram Choe which went on display late last year at the bitforms gallery in New York City (Link). The videographer also posted a second video showing another piece titled “Echo Navigo” (Link), and Make: magazine has a pair of videos available as well (Link 1, Link 2).

Looking through U-ram’s portfolio, I couldn’t help but relate “Echo Navigo” to my own segmented, ceramic bonefish pieces from my student days, and the “Net Plant Project” to a few industrial design concepts I’ve seen through the years (e.g. Zuzu’s Petals by Herbst Lazar Bell, and work by Ayse Birsell, the individual most responsible for the design of the interactive system used by Tom Cruise’s character in the film “Minority Report“; check out “Resolve” on her design firm’s website – Link).

Fun, inspiring stuff. Especially as I’m wrapping my head around some of the electrical engineering concepts that power these sorts of sculptures. I wonder, how much of this could I (easily) prototype inside a virtual space?