This January, interactive artist Chris Shen will repurpose 625 discarded remote controls into a free-standing infrared light sculpture at Protein's 18 Hewett Street concept space in East London. Eugene Polley's invention of the TV remote control in 1955 changed the nature of television forever, and with INFRA, Shen aims to mark the evolution of television technology.

 

"Each of the 625 remote controls is second-hand, without the corresponding TV set", Shen says, "the remotes were discarded, or deemed useless by their previous owner. I will reverse the roles of these devices that are intended to control our TVs, to become the TV itself. By exploring infrared technology, I hope to provide insight into a world that is by its very nature unseen." Shen's installation allows small, normally invisible lights to become visible with the use of infrared goggles, creating displays in an infrared spectrum.

 

INFRA opens at 7pm on Thursday 17th January, 2013. A super limited run of Shen's first edition INFRA book will be available at 18 Hewett Street from opening night, so be sure to pick one up before they sell out. More info here.

 

 

Jack Smylie