Luke Blackstone I Might Be Nothing refrigeration unit, glass cylinder, cast aluminum heating element, acrylic tube, electronic and electromechanical devices, steel, hardware 3 ft. X 4 ft. X 7 ft. (variable) 2016
A refrigeration unit runs in open air for 20 minutes, gathering ice onto its cooling coils due to the air's moisture content. Just before it is turned off by a micro-contoller, an aluminum dish is heated up to 150 degrees. Just after the unit is turned off, the ice begins to melt, forming water droplets that drip along an acrylic tube and then fall 18 inches onto the hot dish. The drops are immediately turned into steam, returning the moisture into the air. Meanwhile, a LED screen, suspended by a thin rod and wires, slowly circles the structure while showing the text: "I might be" (pause) "nothing" The text disappears, then repeats.