The aim of The Art and Science of Ferrofluid is to create dynamic art forms and figures whose shape, surface structure, and color change dynamically, reflecting the echoes of environmental music, light, and human communication. To create such dynamic forms and surfaces, in 2000 I initiated the interactive art project Protrude, Flow, in which I use ferrofluids.

Ferrofluids appear as black fluid and are made by dissolving nanoscale ferromagnetic particles in a solvent such as water or oil. They remain strongly magnetic even in a fluid condition which makes them more flexible than iron sand. Ferrofluids form spikes along magnetic field lines when the magnetic surface force exceeds the stabilizing effects of the fluid weight and surface tension. In my work, the spikes under the magnetic field produce organic forms. Sensory technology and computers are used to transform the shape of the fluid according to environmental information. This transformation is an important aspect of the work.

An important source of inspiration, when considering the kinetic and potentially interactive art forms, are the organic forms and the geometry and symmetry observed in plants and animals.The breathing rhythm in living things is an excellent metaphor for a texture that dynamically changes according to time. The continuously changing weather conditions of the Earth are also important motifs. The motifs for the work Morpho Towers: Two standing spirals, were ocean, tornadoes, and lightning, in which a black tornado elegantly dances in sync with music. The Japanese concept of mitate, relating to mimicking natural phenomena, is a useful method in trying to understand the occurrence of natural shapes. It permits the comparison of ferrofluid forms to creatures such as sea urchins and jelly fish or to a tornado. The result is a high-tech version of the Japanese “Hakoniwa,” boxes containing small models of objects and landscapes taken from real life.