*low resolution preview of full dome planetarium version with black video where live planetarium star projections are projected 

A Guided Sublimation
by Laura Splan
work in progress (started 2023 with future presentations in production)

selected animations & soundscapes created in collaboration with theoretical biophysicist Adam Lamson
star projection sequence planning in collaboration with Dave Bush
guitar by Frank Masciocchi
vocals by Jared Warren

“A Guided Sublimation” is a multisensory meditation on posthuman subjectivities. This immersive artwork can be presented in full dome or planetarium venues or adapted for theatrical performance screenings with live narration. Conflating conventions of guided meditation and planetarium scripts, “A Guided Sublimation” immerses viewers in a liminal space situated between the macro and micro, biological and technological, sublime and absurd. Combining mesmerizing 3D animations, narration, and spatial sound with star sequences and scent, the work creates an arresting exploration of past and present through the lens of epigenetic science. Texts from scientific research serve as a foundation for the narration as well as for prompts for AI-generated imagery in the animations. “A Guided Sublimation” creates a hypnotic journey from the perspective of molecular entities that show us the interconnectedness of interior and exterior worlds. The animations and narration traverse entanglements across space and time with visual modalities conventionally used to represent the magnitude of the cosmos. Custom star sequences for each presentation provide a unique experience by combining molecular and cosmological scales from a site-specific perspective. Star projections sequences can be performed live with an analog star projector, programmed on digital star projection systems, or simulated in digital animation for single channel presentation in gallery and theatrical settings. A program guide introduces the creative, technological, and scientific underpinnings of the work to audiences in an accessible and memorable way while also giving visibility to project collaborators, partners, and sponsors. A rose scented bookmark made with a signature formulation references narration elements that allude to environmental influences on gene expression.

PROJECT SUPPORT
This version of "A Guided Sublimation" was commissioned by the Vanderbilt Museum for the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium with support from the Rochester Area Community Foundation.

This work was made possible by the Simons Foundation. Created in collaboration with Adam Lamson, Science Collaborator and theoretical biophysicist at Flatiron Institute, a division of the Simons Foundation.

A Guided Sublimation is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature through the Media Arts Assistance Fund a regrant partnership of NYSCA and Wave Farm.