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Exploring Zephyr with Harvey Moon from Spectra Studios

Exploring Zephyr with Harvey Moon from Spectra Studios

Harvey Moon from Spectra Studio discusses creating 'Zephyr,' an interactive origami object that responds to visitors' breath and movement. Spectra Studio is a multidisciplinary collective based in Los Angeles. They create multi-sensory experiences meant to be shared. They work on experimental projects like 'Zephyr' and also provide services to clients. In the interview, we explore the Spectra Studio process and uncover some insightful reflections on how they might have approached prototyping differently in this project. We examine the nature of the interactions in the piece and how they contribute to shared experiences for the viewers. We also discuss the difference between Harvey's solo work and the collaborative work at Spectra Studio.

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Highlights

  • (0:00:00) Dialogue with the audience vs. one-to-one interaction

  • (0:01:40) Description of Zephyr
  • (0:03:30) Connection between breath, reflection, and natural rhythms
  • (0:05:32) Sensing breath and CO2 levels
  • (0:06:07) Meditative response from visitors 
  • (0:07:45) Consideration of sound in future prototypes
  • (0:08:38) Origami and breath as inspiration for Zephyr
  • (0:10:30) Focus on physical, kinetic, and sculptural experiences
  • (0:11:53) More unfinished projects than finished ones
  • (0:12:59) Challenges of scaling up and iterating the design
  • (0:13:38) Description of Spectra Studio and its collaborative process
  • (0:15:27) Balancing commercial work with artistic and creative work
  • (0:16:41) Everyone in the team wears multiple hats
  • (0:18:24) Working alone vs working collaboratively
  • (0:19:42) Lessons learned from the Zephyr project
  • (0:20:21) Balancing project complexity and constraints
  • (0:21:47) Current projects: travelling exhibit, projection dome, kinetic works
  • (0:22:20) Advice for those interested in kinetic work

About Harvey Moon 

Harvey Moon is a new media artist who explores the intersection of technology and perception. He creates custom software, electronics, and kinetic systems to extend our understanding of the world and how technology influences our lives. Moon's art challenges audiences to question their perceptions and reflect on the role of technology in shaping our future.

Harvey Moon holds an MFA from DMA at UCLA and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work has been showcased internationally, including exhibitions at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts and the Nuit Blanche Festival in Toronto. Currently, he resides and works in Los Angeles, California.

About Spectra Studio 

Spectra Studio is a multidisciplinary collective based in Los Angeles, California. Spectra Studio combines art with the possibilities of technology to transform ideas into tangible, multisensory experiences meant for sharing. Experimental by nature, their practice is fueled by research, collaboration, and discovery. Spectra Studio's goal is to evoke emotions, express the inexplicable, and reflect on how we relate to the physical, the digital, and the unknown.

Key takeaways

Zephyr's concept and experience

"Zephyr was really about the breath, and how the Earth has its own breath."

Zephyr is an immersive kinetic art installation designed to represent and respond to human breath and the Earth's own rhythms. As visitors enter the space and interact with the piece, it mimics their movements and breathing patterns, fostering a meditative experience. The experience is intended to reflect on the power and value of breath and the interconnectedness of all elements within the Earth's ecosystem.

Technical design of Zephyr

The installation combines 3D printing with origami techniques, forming structures that can extend and contract. Controlled by motors and sensors, these structures respond to CO2 levels and proximity, creating a dynamic environment.

The interactions

"I always felt like it was more interesting to have a sort of dialogue with the audience rather than a sort of one-to-one, did I do it right or wrong? Sort of interaction with the visitor. So if it became sort of too gamified, then I think it sort of lost some of the beauty of its autonomy."

Harvey and Robin discuss how the artwork’s interaction goes beyond simple cause and effect or right and wrong responses. Instead, the focus is on creating an environment where the art and viewer engage in a meaningful, reciprocal dialogue. This approach fosters a deeper level of engagement and contemplation, allowing the audience to experience a more organic and less structured interaction with the art.

Creative process and inspiration

“I think it's always fun to sort of let a lot of that go in the process, and then let the piece tell you and teach you a bit after you made some time and work into it."

The idea for Zephyr evolved organically from collaborator Dave Hull's work with origami and kinetic forms. The project's development was not linear; instead, it grew through prototyping.

Solo vs. collaborative work

"I guess, you know, someone said, if you work alone, you can sprint. But if you work together, you can go a lot farther."

Harvey finds solo work allows for deep, focused, and rapid development of ideas, while collaborative projects offer the benefit of creating something larger and more enduring, evolving over time through shared input and innovation.

Spectra Studios' approach

"We're not thinking about the screen or, or a rectangle that things can exist on, it's more about how do we create a space where people can share in that environment and that space, and share that experience."

At Spectra Studios, the emphasis is on creating physical and interactive art spaces, steering clear of solely digital or virtual experiences. The studio aims to create environments that bring people together, focusing on the communal aspect of art.

Reflections

"We've learned from there to really focus on one and really iterate a bit more and get it perfected before you scale up to 15. Because of the scale of 15 to 20 of these items, each working independently and calibrating on their own and communicating, it became a bit more of a task to keep replicating that."

Reflecting on Zephyr, Harvey highlights the importance of perfecting a prototype before scaling up, noting the complexities and unexpected challenges that arise with kinetic works. He suggests focusing on quality and refinement in the initial stages to avoid complications during expansion, emphasising the importance of learning from each project and continuously improving.

Final advice

“For kinetic stuff, it takes a lot more practice and experience, you're going to need to learn the materiality of what you're working with. So you really are going to need to spend a lot of time practising and finding the materials that you work best with."

Harvey stresses the importance of experimenting with materials, understanding their properties, and learning through practice.

Links from the podcast  

Edited transcript of Exploring Zephyr with Harvey Moon from Spectra Studios

Kinetic installation that uses breath as input

Robin Petterd: We’re going to get started by giving people a little bit of a sense of Zephyr. What’s it like to experience it?

Harvey Moon: Zephyr was a kinetic experience really centred on breath and how we relate to it. We also thought about the Earth having its own breath that responds to us. As you walked into the space, the piece would react to your presence—your movement and your breath. Over time, it became a meditative collaboration with the machine, helping people reflect on how our environment and breath are part of a greater cadence. We're just one part of a much larger structure.

Robin Petterd: So there's this dual layer—a person’s breath, its reflection, and a connection to wider natural rhythms.

Harvey Moon: Exactly. We thought a lot about plant life—how plants breathe in our CO2 and emit oxygen, mirroring how we breathe. Zephyr is like an autonomous plant responding to people in the space.

Robin Petterd: For those who haven’t seen it, can you explain what’s actually moving?

Harvey Moon: Each Zephyr is made from 3D-printed and origami components. Two motors work together to open and extend it, revealing a kinetic origami structure. Each Zephyr moves autonomously—up, down, expanding, and contracting—based on sensors in the space.

Creating meditative art with CO₂ sensors

Robin Petterd: And how are you sensing breath?

Harvey Moon: We tried different approaches. We used a camera-based sensor for proximity, and experimented with visual detection of breath. We settled on a simple CO2 sensor—when people entered, the CO2 levels rose, triggering activity. So it was less precise and more about sensing the ambient space.

Spectra Studio's approach to ambient interactivity

Robin Petterd: So it's more of a response than a direct interaction?

Harvey Moon: That’s right. We wanted a dialogue with the audience, not a gamified experience. If it's too binary, it loses the beauty of autonomy.

Robin Petterd: I prefer those ambient responses too. How did audiences react?

Harvey Moon: Most found it meditative. One issue we had was noise—those 50 motors on the ceiling were louder than expected. We learned that in future prototypes, sound needs more attention.

Robin Petterd: So sound might become part of the contemplative rhythm?

Harvey Moon: That was the intent. It turned out noisier than we wanted. There was a lot of engineering involved, and for version two, we’ll take a different approach.

Robin Petterd: Where did the idea come from?

Harvey Moon: It evolved organically. Our collaborator Dave Hull had been exploring origami forms that collapse and expand. From there, the idea developed into thoughts about lungs, breath, and plant life.

Robin Petterd: So the piece grew through exploration?

Harvey Moon: Yes. We let the piece teach us through making. Some people hesitate to begin before ideas are fully formed. We like to test things and let them evolve.

Robin Petterd: You mentioned the sound issue. How did you prototype the work?

Harvey Moon: This was a rapid project. We brought the team together for an internal build. After some design sketching, we built the whole thing in two weekends. In hindsight, we should have focused on perfecting one unit before scaling. Managing 15 to 20 kinetic elements became a challenge.

Robin Petterd: So focusing on one before scaling could have helped?

Harvey Moon: Definitely. We learned to prioritise polish before multiplying.

Harvey Moon's collaborative process at Spectra Studio

Robin Petterd: How does the collaborative model at Spectra Studio work?

Harvey Moon: We do both artistic and commercial work. Commercial projects feed back into our artistic practice and help fund community events. We offer everything from consulting to hands-on installs. The studio is a platform that supports sustainable artistic practice.

Robin Petterd: So there's a balance between creative and commercial?

Harvey Moon: Yes. Everyone wears multiple hats. There’s no rigid structure. People take on roles they’re passionate about, which results in better work.

Robin Petterd: You also have a solo practice. How is that different?

Harvey Moon: Solo work lets me dive deep and fast, but collaborative work builds longer-term satisfaction. It evolves over time and can become something much bigger.

Robin Petterd: What did you learn from making Zephyr?

Harvey Moon: To prototype slowly, prioritise quality, and invest in good materials. Scaling should come after refinement. That shift has really improved our project outcomes.

Robin Petterd: What are you working on now?

Harvey Moon: A travelling immersive exhibit, a new kinetic piece called Photon, and testing projection domes. Lots of exciting prototyping ahead.

Robin Petterd: And your advice for someone starting kinetic work?

Harvey Moon: Start with accessible tools—Arduino, Adafruit, SparkFun. Practice with materials and find what suits you. 3D printing makes a lot possible. Experiment and be patient. It’s about finding your method and refining it. Look into artists like Arthur Ganson for inspiration. His mechanical work was a big influence.

Posted 02-12-2023