ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUST

Understanding the Hope Found in “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust”

The phrase “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” may seem like a sad one. But it’s really a reminder of the hope we have in heaven while still here on earth. Ashes and dust are common biblical symbols for humility, impermanence and sorrow.

The idea of this artwork is to show a simulation of particles in space as an integral part of micro and macro world. With a simple visual and auditory representation, reduced to minimalism without unnecessary aestheticising, it recalls the connection with everything that surrounds us, and ultimately to what we are, or to what we will turn into – dust or ashes. The augmented reality mobile application Particles (AR app) is based on scanning a handmade drawing performed by the technique of black markers on hammer paper, which I have sonified through the program to convert images to sound (image sonication). The resulting sound was integrated into a 3D animation made in the Unity3D computer program. The sound was synchronised with animation, thus achieving the effect of natural growth of animated particles from larger to smaller ones and their density, while visually tracking the drawn elements (particles) on the drawing. The animation moves vertically, thereby achieving the effect of digital animated sculpture in space that grows out from the flat drawing, from the laid down position. This work clearly shows the overcoming of barriers between the flat and three-dimensional, static, and moving, real and virtual, silent and auditory.