Andrew Chartier

Le dioxygraphe

This kinetic sculpture is made from a golf cart, with electrical components and a mechanized wheel with four dry chalks. A carbon dioxide detector affixed at the end of a flexible rod picks up the insidious presence and, with the help of a microcontroller, feeds a drawing machine. Operating in the street or the sidewalk, the apparatus takes some twenty seconds to leave a trace, making the environmental contaminant visible. The artist/wastician works over a long period, tracing an artery of busy streets and revealing a sort of transient document of atmospheric contamination. 

pH GOOSE & pH DUCK

The pH Duck (and pH Goose) involves a sound interpretation mechanism that sends out bilingual (French and English) informative messages on the actual state of the water. Two audible tapes have been created. The first one says: “Dear citizens! Your attention please! Local patrol for acid rain! Sensitive ecological zone!” The second pre-recorded tape consists of two different pieces of information. It is activated by an actual pH probe reading, which then feeds a data bank. According to the result, the notice goes as follows: “pH level is over 5.6, quality of water is normal!” or “pH level is under 5.6, water quality is compromised!”