Double Horizon
Artist
J. Meejin Yoon
Year2014
Classification
time based media
Medium
LED fixtures, custom electronics and polycarbonate diffuser lens
Dimensions1 x 520 x 1 ft. (30.5 x 15848.8 x 30.5 cm)
Credits
Commissioned through the Art in Architecture Program
Fine Arts Collection
U.S. General Services Administration
Fine Arts Collection
U.S. General Services Administration
- J. Meejin Yoon designed this interactive light installation for the San Ysidro U.S. Land Port of Entry. Spanning the entire length of the 520-foot-long northbound inspection canopy, Double Horizon consists of a linear array of programmable light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that respond in real time to the movement of vehicles through the port. As each car or truck clears an inspection gate, it passes over sensors embedded in the traffic lanes. The computer-controlled LEDs in the artwork pull data from these traffic sensors, and mark each vehicle’s passage with a ripple effect of blue light on the canopy above. The individual bursts of light fade outward and collide with one another, creating a dynamic, second horizon line that mimics the visible horizon beyond. Viewing the port from a distance, northbound motorists can observe the inspection canopy constantly animated by the movement of cars across the border. As Yoon envisioned, Double Horizon serves as a poetic communication device that is both a welcome gateway marker to the United States and a frequency index of traffic flow through the port. The artwork’s animated lighting patterns may also evoke the behavior of flowing water or the changing light at the horizon during sunrise and sunset.
