“Wooden Mirror” by Daniel Rozin

woodenmirrormuseum.jpgDaniel Rozin has produced several artworks that function as mirrors but use materials that are seemingly non-reflective.:  trash, cork, metal, and paper.  Arguably his most awe-inspiring piece is the Wooden Mirror.  When asked to describe this piece, Rozin replied, "Built in 1999, this is the first mechanical mirror I built. This piece explores the line between digital and physical, using a warm and natural material such as wood to portray the abstract notion of digital pixels."[1] 

A built in videocamera captures the subject or viewer in front of the piece.  Then, the glossy coated wood pieces are rotated varying degrees by a tiny motor to reflect the appropriate amount of light to create the highlights, midtones, and shadows (grey-scale values) of the viewer standing infront of the work. "Wooden Mirror uses 830 square pieces of wood which are hooked up to an equal number of small motors which move the wooden blocks according to a live feed from a built in camera. The camera picks up movement in light and transfers the signal to the wood. The result is an eerie representation of reality depicted in tiny wooden pixels."[2]  

As the following video demonstrates, Wooden Mirror operates between the digital and physical worlds by using a tangible, physical material, such as wood, to imitate the function of a digital pixel. 

[1] Smoothware.com

[2] Amusing Planet "Wooden Mirror"