Ethan Donaldson 

Three models of a coral are shown, from its prime life stage, to its bleached rotting phase, and finally a lifeless, polluted husk. This interactive artifact informs about the tragic stages of a decaying coral, and emphasizes a need for change.

This project, A Dearth of Fish, stands to remind consumers around the world that the endless amounts of stuff they produce and don't reuse has consequences. Recognizing a problem and making people aware of it are the first steps toward solving that problem. In this age, pollution and climate change are the biggest threats facing Earth. In this age, we consume in many different ways. Through prepackaged foods, buying pointless objects, burning fuel, the Earth becomes more polluted.  A.D.o.F, however, is consumed visually. Through a button board with icons that capture basic everyday activities related to climate change, the interactive artifact expresses the links between those and the corresponding coral sculpture. For example, recycling and renewing energy buttons would be hooked up to the healthy coral to show that eco-friendly actions result in healthy ecology. Furthermore, burning oil and littering, which are pollutants, have the opposite effect, and highlight a dead, corrupted coral. A.D.o.F  is intended for everyone on planet Earth, because everyone has a carbon footprint that can be reduced with the right course of action. The piece could be installed at coastal national parks, aquariums, or could be used simply as a visual guide for students.

Jacob Creem

A Dearth of Fish: Three coral artifacts that aim to provide viewers with an immersive and interactive underwater experience. The installation subtly reminds viewers of the detrimental effects humans can have on coral, as they view and compare the artifacts: one beautiful, one bleached, and one trashed.

Modern society seems to acknowledge yet forget the detrimental impact humans have on the world's oceans. While many have attempted to turn this cognizance into actual action, the oceans are still suffering drastically. In fact, it is predicted by 2034 that the near 5.25 trillion pieces of micro and macro plastics that currently inundate the world's marine and coral life, will nearly double. In an attempt to make a decisive change, 'A Dearth of Fish' was created; the installation of three coral artifacts aims to subtly remind viewers of the dire state of our ocean by allowing them to compare one beautiful, one bleached and one trashed colony of fabricated coral.

'A Dearth of Fish' grew out of the desire to make interaction with a modern art piece memorable through an immersive experience. From a distance, each coral piece looks like a regular polyp cast to a Rockite surface. Yet, closer examination reveals a world of colors, textures, and gradients. Through the utilization of a Load Sensor, LEDs, and an Arduino System, the installation lights up an array of coral strands and coral polyps. In each colony, hot glue dribbles are used to make tall skinny coral pieces and clumps of aluminum foil are used to make smaller polyps. With a mixture of disparate coral elements, the installation aims to realistically replicate a coral colony in three different states. The bleached colony is completely white and bleak; the trashed colony is inundated with scrap plastics, and the healthy colony is vibrant with an abundance of colors. To enable interactivity, the Arduino System is connected to a wooden board with three Load Sensor buttons, each labeled with a certain action a viewer can take and causing LEDs to shine brighter when the buttons are pressed. If a viewer chooses to press the recycling sticker, the beautiful colony lights up; if they choose the plastics option, the trashed colony lights up; and if a viewer chooses the fossil fuels option, the bleached coral option will light up. The hope is that 'A Dearth of Fish' will inspire viewers to reconsider buying plastics at the store, or think about buying an electric car perhaps. 'A Dearth of Fish' hopes that next time, viewers will make better decisions, consonant with a beautiful, vibrant sea.