Dissolve
Dissolve is a web-based installation that visualizes emotions as dynamic equations, revealing the hidden architecture of our feelings. Each emotion is expressed as a combination of cognitive and social variables, for example:
Embarrassment = Uncertainty + Self-Awareness
Pride = Satisfaction + Recognition
The project is grounded in the idea that emotions are not purely spontaneous, but complex systems emerging from interactions between thought, awareness, and social context. By representing feelings as equations, Dissolve maps the mechanics of emotion, making visible the subtle processes that shape our inner lives.
The work was inspired by my development of Ever Near, a social messaging app designed to cultivate meaningful connections with a close circle of five friends, particularly older adults who may experience loneliness. Reflecting on attention and distraction, I noticed a historical parallel: when the kaleidoscope was invented, people became captivated by its shifting patterns, mesmerized by the spectacle. Today, social media performs a similar function, pulling our focus outward and away from the delicate, complex dynamics of our closest relationships and emotions.
Dissolve invites viewers to reflect on their own feelings: How do emotions form, shift, and dissolve within us, often unnoticed?
Exhibition show: "The Holding Pattern", September 2025, Mason Gross Galleries, New Brunswick, NJ
