Sea Anemone
TBD
Sea Anemone is a large-scale interactive soft sculpture that responds to human touch with dynamic color change. Five conductive touch pads are embedded within the sculpture’s tentacles using capacitive touch sensing via conductive thread — a technique that bridges traditional textile craft with electronics in a single seamless material.
The piece explores the symbiotic relationship between sea anemones and algae, which causes the anemone to shift in color and pattern depending on environmental conditions. Here, the audience becomes the environment: as viewers investigate the work physically, their touch triggers color changes that alter how the sculpture is perceived. Biology becomes interface.
The fabrication process is equally unconventional. Patterns were developed in CLO 3D — software typically used in fashion and apparel — and then translated into a physical inflatable soft sculpture. This workflow from digital 3D simulation to handmade inflatable form is an unusual crossing of industry tools and art practice, and one that opens up new possibilities for makers working at the intersection of soft fabrication and interactivity.
Sea Anemone has been exhibited at Portland Winter Light Festival 2024, MB Gallery, and Fathom, a downtown Portland interactive art installation, from May 2024 to August 2025.
