f0unta1n
fountain
01

'Information is the resolution of uncertainty'
Claude Shannon

project idea: LAb[au]
Manuel Abendroth, Jérôme Decock, Els Vermang

year of conception:
2009 (first version)
2011 final concept

system: analytic
concept: pix(yz)el

about the project:

'In information theory, entropy is a measure of the uncertainty associated with a random variable. In this context, the term usually refers to the Shannon entropy, which quantifies the expected value of the information contained in a message, usually in units such as bits. In this context, a 'message' means a specific realization of the random variable.' wikipedia

The 'f0unta1n' is based on a 'voxel' structure placed on the bottom of a water basin. The three dimensional relief forms a topography which can be completely covered by water. The variation of the water level will lead to certain parts of the topography, voxels, to emerge out of the water while

others remain covered; and as such remain invisible. Here the control of the water level makes appear different visual patterns of the topography the programmed motifs of the structure.
The resolution of the pattern corresponds to the QR code pattern; at minimum water-level it constitutes Shannon's quote about information. At any intermediary state it constitutes random information. Sense emerges as a specific 'random' variable.