Stillness takes its inspiration from the two climates Yann Novak have inhabited: Subtropical in Los Angeles and Oceanic in Seattle. In these works he investigates these climates’ almost static meteorological states and their emotional effect on their inhabitants.
Stillness.Subtropical is presented as a large scale projection with a 4.1ch sound element. This produces an immersive experience that changes so slowly the effect is imperceptible to the audience and creates a nearly static state.
The sound element was created using a recording of shortwave radio tuned to static in Los Angeles. Because radio waves are effected by both water vapor in the troposphere and ionization in the upper atmosphere from the sun, the recording contains a unique signature from the atmosphere the waves traveled through. Similarly the video elements is made up of numerous photographs taken over a span of months, always pointed at the horizon. These photographs capture a more literal portrait of the climate. These elements are then digitally altered to create an ambiguous abstraction, leaving enough of the source to guide the experience and define the location, but abstract enough to create an immersive environment perfect for contemplation and personal reflection.