CONNIE MENDOZA
ALMA PROJECT _ next project

ALMA Project is a cartographic exercise within time travel, through physics and through mental landscapes, investigating the notion of time and the breach between Sci-Tech and an intimate experience of time.

Fata Morgana and Other Optical Phenomena is the launch pad for this time travel.

The video is structured as a countdown (a reference to Fritz Langs invention of the countdown in his film "Frau im Mond"). In each phase of the countdown two concepts are introduced: a type of space is associated with an optical phenomena. The concepts are followed by a short physical definition of this optical phenomena.The visual description of the phenomena refer, at the same time, to mental states.

Copper and technological progress are intimately connected worldwide. In the Chilean context these connections have even more impact on the recent political and economical history and the psychological state of the population.

10
MINING / FATA MORGANA
Fata morgana is a superior mirage which results from a temperature inversion

9
OBSERVATORY / DIFFRACTION
Diffraction is normally taken to refer to various phenomena which occur when a wave encounters an obstacle

8
COUP D’ETAT / SPRITE
Sprites are large scale electrical discharges that occur high above thunderstorm clouds

7
EXILE / REFLECTION
Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated

6
MEMORY / IRIDISCENCE
Iridiscence is the property of certain surfaces to changes their colour depending on the angle under which they are viewed

5
DESERT / MIRAGE
Mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects

4
HORIZON / HALO
Halo appears near or around the sun or moon, and sometimes near other strong light sources such as street lights

3
PROGRESS / EQUILIBRIUM
Equilibrium is the condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced

2
MOON / REPLICA
Replica is a copy that is relatively indistinguishable from the original

1
UNIVERSE / ABERRATION
Aberration causes a displacement of the apparent position of an object from its true position

0
ASTRONAUT / HALLUCINATION
Hallucination is a perception in the absence of a stimulus

FATA MORGANA
AND OTHER OPTICAL PHENOMENA
HD-video projection. 12,35 min. 2009