Enchanted Fractal Forest is an interactive installation combining generative audio and video. It connects the dots between the fractal geometry of nature and music, encourages experimental play, and invokes the enchanted mystery of a forest at dusk. Enchanted Fractal Forest was presented in various forms at West Bund Art & Design (Shanghai), the NYU ITP/IMA/Low-Res Winter Show ’24 (New York), and the NYU IMA Low-Res Show and Tell ’24 (New York).

technical description

Enchanted Fractal Forest uses a webcam and the HandPose machine learning library to track hand positions, and then uses a recursive algorithm to draw geometric tree fractals on the screen with size and location determined by the x and y coordinates of the hand locations. As the hand positions move, the gestures are interpreted to “plant” new trees at intervals. Simultaneously, short musical phrases are triggered with each new tree planted, with the pitches, volumes, and timbres of the phrases determined by the size and hand locations. Each tree slowly fades out and clears room for new trees. The experience is essentially open-ended, but over time the backdrop shifts from a “sunrise” orange gradient to a “dusk” gradient with dark blues and grays. This shift is so slow that it’s almost imperceptible, but it will give some narrative structure to the installation. Enchanted Fractal Forest encourages the viewer to think about the passage of time and natural cycles of growth and decay. It also is designed to elicit delightful sensory response, somewhat like playing a magical harp or marimba.