Luisa Pinzon
Páramo Immersion
Inspired by the Páramo ecosystem, a high-altitude landscape found in the tropical Andes of South America, this installation creates a sense of peace and serenity while also drawing attention to human impact and ecological destruction. When you interact with the photograph frame, an immersive visual environment comes to life, projecting a distorted version of the original image. The sound design uses granular synthesis, processing original field recordings captured in the Páramo.
Critical questions by Lilita Dunska: What was your principal feeling while experiencing this installation? Despair? Fear? Sadness? Is there room for hope? Can we act to reverse these processes, or do we consciously accept a passive stance?
About the photographs: Images were originally captured in Colombia’s Páramo de Chingaza by Javier Arcila, an architect and urban designer. His time living in both Australia and Colombia has exposed him to diverse ecosystems. The Páramo, one of his favorites, inspired this visual foundation. Through photography, he documents the environments that continually fuel his creative practice.
The visual design was developed in TouchDesigner, connecting sensor microcontrollers to create an interactive experience. Sound design was created in MaxMSP and ProTools, with each audio layer triggered through the same sensors to respond to viewer interaction. The visual and sonic elements work together at each stage, creating a unified immersive environment. The concept and full creative direction are by Luisa Fernanda Pinzón.
Interactive photograph frames developed with Christopher Malison, CalArts MFA alumnus in Technical Direction. Thanks to my mentors: Tom Leeser, Kai-Luen Liang, Ajay Kapur, and Michael Leisz.