A public interactive art project for standalone or window displays.

ARTIST COLLABORATION

CITY BEAT IS AN UNCOMPLICATED YET BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED EXPERIENCE WHERE STRANGERS CATCHING GLIMPSES OF EACH OTHER CAN SHARE IN MOMENTS OF CONNECTION AND SIMPLE DELIGHT.

City Beat is a simple yet beautifully crafted experience where passing strangers share moments of connection and delight through brief glimpses of each other. Inspired by E.B. White's essay Here Is New York, which speaks to the solitude and intimacy found in crowded places, City Beat transforms this concept into an interactive installation meant to be experienced by one or two people.

City Beat is not about what's inside its beating heart, but about how it manifests the interactions it fosters. It highlights and contextualizes any space it inhabits, encouraging people to connect with each other through their interaction with the piece. 

The installation utilizes carefully positioned palm press stations that prompt strangers to press their hands and follow the light they’ve generated as it  travels into a giant heart. When two people connect simultaneously, the heart beats stronger and brighter, filling the space it inhabits with light.

Initially designed as a window installation, City Beat has been adapted for various indoor and outdoor settings. Composed of 270 laser-cut triangles, 50 feet of vacuum tubing, 30 yards silk and over 3,000 neopixels, cityBEAT is powered by custom-fabricated microcontrollers and touch capacitive sensors.

This installation celebrates the curiosity and connection found in shared, fleeting moments, and makes visible what is missed, or enhanced, when an opportunity for connection should arise.

This project was done by Yuan Chen, Lindsey Piscitell, Ariana Vassilopoulou, and Regina Cantu.