"The Goal of the Noir" is an interactive, kinetic game based on Alexander Calder's mobiles and Joan Miro's "The Gold of the Azure." Suspended by black truss, a large mobile (12'w X 9'h) consists of twelve color-changing, sculptural LED lights that represent the sun, moon, planets, and comets. Each light pairs with a remote that controls each separately with its own independent frequency. Four control stations with remotes and informational screens surround the mobile to accommodate twelve players simultaneously. Each player pushes buttons to scroll through a series of sixteen colors, unaware of which light they actually control. A fan tower keeps the piece slowly rotating.
The game starts with the lights set at random colors. The goal of the game is simple--without communicating, everyone must align their colors to match. If they're all able to match their colors, a flood of white light will illuminate the piece from the side, projecting its shadow for ten seconds before resetting. A screen explains the game to future players while they wait in line. The song "dip 2.2" by William Basinski loops in the background.
Roberts' experience with paper mâché led her to explore other materials like plastic, vellum and vinyl to get more translucence. She also experimented with luminescent paint to layer in color in more freeform shapes. The "bulbs" for this piece are "plastic mâché," sculpted and painted acrylic pieces. In testing, plastic mâché is resistant to rain damage which allows the piece to stand in the elements.
- Created: 2019
- Collections: LUNA Fête Festival of Annual Festival of Light Art