Brief Encounters

Brief Encounters is an interactive installation created by KMA for the National Railway Museum in York, UK. 13 semi-transparent LED screens were suspended in the shape of a bridge traversing the turntable in the Great Hall, and visitors were invited to send themselves on a journey to the top of the structure, where they ultimately meet with the traveller from the far side of the turntable.

The images were captured using a thermal camera, creating a ghostly mirror of the people stood at each end of the installation. On a periodic trigger, a few seconds of movement was captured and began to loop: every minute the loops moved up one screen towards the top of the bridge where they became superimposed for a short time before disappearing.

The piece was conceived as a study of time and distance: inspired by the dramatic effect that the railways had on the standardisation of time, and a celebration of the essentially human moments made possible by that technical innovation.

Music (for this video only) is Max Richter: From 553 West Elm Street, Logan Illinois (Snow) - http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/from-553-w-elm-street-logan-illinois/id287780762?i=287781046