LIMINAL

2024

Solo Exhibition

In Liminal, the exhibition delves into the intricate relationship between light, interaction, and the unveiling of hidden dimensions through technology. The works transcend the boundaries of traditional perception, offering a glimpse into the unseen, the intangible, and the ephemeral. Through interactive installations, generative visuals, and digital data explorations, the exhibition brings the invisible to light—whether it's the fleeting patterns in QAL, the architectural echoes of Enfe'al, or the digital footprints exposed in Decompositions for Computers. Each piece invites the viewer to engage with the delicate threshold between visibility and obscurity, exploring the liminal spaces where the physical and digital realms intersect, revealing beauty in what was once hidden from the eye.

DECOMPOSITIONS FOR COMPUTERS
Ali Phi's "Decompositions for Computers" is an introspective dive into the aesthetics of digital waste, revealing the hidden consequences of our interactions within virtual spaces. This generative audiovisual installation examines the traces left behind in the digital realm—data waste and its environmental impact, including carbon emissions from massive data storage. Using complex datasets, the project brings to light the residual marks of online activities, from the carbon footprint of emails to the data traces left by deceased users. As a blend of art and analysis, the piece visualizes the growing, often unseen accumulation of digital detritus and challenges our understanding of the digital ecosystem'`s lasting footprint.

ENFE'`AL
Inspired by the liminal nature of the term "maqruh"—actions deemed unfavorable yet not forbidden—Ali Phi'`s "Enfe'al" bridges ancient West-Asian traditions with contemporary digital artistry. The collection utilizes 3D point clouds of ancient architecture, field recordings, and digital sound design, creating a unique audiovisual environment. Through seven phases—passivity, avoidance, constriction, conformity, elevation, expiry, and revival—the work mirrors the cultural symbolism of the number seven, reflecting themes of infinity and completion. Merging sacred geometries with modern coding and real-time processing, "Enfe'al" navigates the interplay between ancient philosophies and today'`s digital possibilities, illustrating how past and present can affect and be affected in continuous dialogue.

QAL
The Anti-Carpet by Ali Phi reimagines the ancient Persian carpet using AI and interactive design, transforming a traditional symbol into a dynamic, generative installation. Unlike conventional carpets with fixed patterns, "QAL" is ephemeral, evolving through real-time audience interactions. Light-sensitive technology captures the movements of participants, translating their gestures into intricate digital motifs projected onto a vertical screen resembling a virtual loom. These transient patterns, influenced by factors like light, hand position, and skin color, are then rendered into high-resolution designs, offering a new perspective on craftsmanship and creativity. Blending historical art forms with cutting-edge technology, "QAL" redefines the intersection of human interaction and digital art.

The project is supported by the Canada Council of Arts and the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.