The artist, who is also the filmmaker and narrator, designed a simple device called the mirrorbox that plays with optical illusion, symmetry, and mirrors.
Mirrorbox, AKA Darth Vader's nuts
Meghan, the artist, built the device to explore human empathy, but soon found it could be more than just art, it could be of scientific use too. By studying people using the box, scientists might be able to learn how and why humans empathize with each other.
I was less than impressed with this film. I think the mirrorbox is a great piece of art, and I do agree that it could have scientific merit. But when the creator of an art piece makes a short film to detail how important said art piece might be, my lips begin to curl. Had someone else taken the initiative to tell this story- great, by all means. Or if she had told the story of how she learned the piece might have value in fields other than art- all for that. But the film is a commercial for the piece, targeted towards the scientific community, asking them to get in on the ground floor on a revolutionary new item that's going to forever merge art and science.
I get the feeling that Meghan is an artist who, for whatever reason, would have been happier as a scientist, or maybe would like to be as smart as one. In a lot of ways scientists and artists are on the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of skill sets, tendencies, and how their minds tend to operate. Although it happens, it's rare to see someone who can live (and flourish) in both worlds easily. But, that being said, I don't knock her for trying.
The great thing about art is that you can never be wrong; you have the ability to call things however you see them. Because of that, art can be safe. But once you enter science, things get definitive; theories, postulates, laws, etc. Sometimes a desire to be considered objectively smart or talented takes us in the wrong direction. I, for example, like to think I'm smart enough to do well on an IQ test. I base this not off hard facts, but just a general sense of relativity about how much I know vs. the general population. I could easily put this to the test by, say, taking an IQ test, but I don't, because I'm terrified I'll be proven dumb, or worse, average.
Well, in terms of a documentary, I guess it was pretty good. It passed the most important criteria; gave me a lot to think about.
You can watch it on vimeo here.
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