Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Aesthetics of Air, Malte Wagenfeld
Aesthetics of Air, Malte Wagenfeld
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Malte Wagenfeld and Ian de Gruchy, Experiments in generating air phenomena, 2007
As part of the visualisation of air investigation, I began exploring the generation of air phenomena. This vortex,
generated by an apparatus constructed in my studio, is a self-propelling body of air slowly moving through an interior
space. As a consequence of this experiment, I began to observe air phenomena rather then generating them.
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The initial intent of the planar dissection of air was to visualise and map major air currents within a naturally ventilated interior
environment. A CAD model of the Melbourne warehouse was constructed to assist in planning for these experiments. This image
shows a series of proposed dissections through the vertical northsouth plane and the horizontal plane.
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Once the smoke has settled, the highly complex patterns of air movement
are revealed. Shown is a plane approximately 3 x 3 metres (9.8 x 9.8 feet).
Malte Wagenfeld, Jason Parmington, Ramesh Ayyar, Ian de Gruchy and Polly Watkins,
Experiments with acts of habitation: breathing into the planar dissection, 2007
A persons breath is visually revealed as a major gesture as it moves across the room.
Repeating the experiment several times with different subjects demonstrated that the pattern of air movement generated
by a breath has its own identifiable visual language; a central shaft flanked by two smaller eddies on either side.
Malte Wagenfeld, Jason Parmington, Ramesh Ayyar and Ian de Gruchy, Experiments with acts of habitation: opening a door, 2007
This sequence of five images shows how the opening of a door produces a dramatic displacement of air within the interior environment.
Malte Wagenfeld, Jason Parmington, Ramesh Ayyar, Ian de Gruchy and Polly Watkins, Experiments with acts of habitation: walking into the dissection, 2007
As a person passes through the laser dissection of air, a shadowy imprint remains momentarily visible leaving temporal evidence of bodily presence.
Malte Wagenfeld, Jason Parmington, Ramesh Ayyar and Ian de Gruchy, Experiments with acts of habitation: electric fans, 2007
When a desk fan was turned on 7 metres (23 feet) from the laser dissection, the gentle patterns of air were immediately destroyed
and replaced by a billowing mass resembling a cumulus cloud.
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