The Opto-Isolator asks the question: “What if art could view us?” This strange installation was on display at the Bitforms Gallery in NYC stirring all kinds of emotions as it mimicked the human eye. It’ll focus on any one person staring at it for too long. In addition, it’ll follow the person viewing it as well as blink along to their blinks.
The creators, Golan Levin and Greg Baltus, must’ve lost many nights of sleep working on this because I can’t imagine having this thing staring at me while it’s guts are laying all over a work bench. This device kind of reminds me of the gatekeeper droid that guarded the entrance to Jabba’s palace in Return of the Jedi. I wonder if the Opto-Isolator could be my personal gatekeeper to make sure no solicitors enter my house.