100 Years (Neon)

A neon wall installation that blinks on and off with increasing rapidity until the eye can no longer sense the transition between light and dark. [+]Neon (Ne) is one of three gases left over once nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon – elements necessary to sustain organic life –have been depleted in breathable air. The piece stands as a warning about the future we are collectively producing.[+]

The beginning condition of the sign is 10 minutes of light, followed by 10 minutes of dark. The number 10 references the atomic number of Neon. A digital algorithm halves the time for each consecutive on/off cycle such that the next light/dark cycle is 5 minutes, then 2.5 minutes, then 1.25 minutes, then 37.5 seconds, and so on until the sign appears to be on without interruption. In this final ‘on’ state, the fluctuating current is so rapid the gas appears to stay fully ignited, until the beginning condition is reached and cycle begins again.

Dimension: 25 x 17 x 3 in.

Photography: César Rubio