The artistic concept is based on the analog animation technique of the zoetrope, but rather than have a static graphic applied to the walls, I will program the lighting to daily shift its color and patterns. The sequence is specific to your motion through the Cambridge Street Underpass; from a distance you will see light leaking from the mouth of this urban cave. As you descend into the tunnel you enter into a saturated field of color and your vehicular motion blends the lighting stations into a ‘chromatrope’. Traveling at a rate of 25 miles per hour, it will take you around 10 seconds to traverse the full length of the tunnel transforming this space into an urban device for animation.

For pedestrians and bikers alike, the walls will appear as abstract fields of color and blend at their specific rates of speed. Given the amount of control available to program the lighting, this project will become a dynamic public art piece. Each day will be a unique experience based upon the spatial programming outlined by the artist.

Project originated for the City of Cambridge Massachusetts, and is currently on hold awaiting final installation.