Dichroic Twirler (2019)
The piece is based on a kids toy, “Rainbow Twirler” and has seven 3’ diameter rainbow dichroic lollipops that spin and collapse. This piece was shown at the Firefly Arts Collective in July 2019 and at Brickbottom Open Studios in November 2019.
Murals of Senior House (2017-2018)
Senior House, MIT's oldest dorm, has long been home to a diverse subset of MIT undergraduates: queers, people of color, artists, punks, weirdos, and misfits. In past 20 years, residents painted over 450 murals-- on walls, ceilings, doors, bathrooms, floors, stairwells -- and used the internal architecture of the building to create an immersive experience.
I led an effort to document, preserve, and share over four hundred murals painted over two decades in the MIT dorm, Senior House, culminating in designing and curating an exhibit in MIT’s student gallery.
Exhibition: April 21 - May 7, 2018, Wiesner Student Art Gallery
https://arts.mit.edu/artists/murals-of-senior-haus/
https://thetech.com/2018/04/26/murals-of-senior-haus-arts-exhibit-review
Metal Twirler (2015, Current)
Based on a surprisingly awesome, small, kid's toy(Rainbow Twirler), I am creating a significantly larger, metal version. One degree of freedom controls both the vertical movement, and the final collapsing of the twirler. The above video shows the initial prototype (10" diameter). The final version will be 36" diameter.
Escher's Rinds (2014)
Designed, machined, and installed a 3D expression of M.C. Escher's "Concentric Rinds"(1953). Four concentric spheres made from overlapping steel strips, the largest 56" in diameter, hang suspended from the corners of a cube frame. Gimbaled together, the spheres can be rotated to spin in complicated patterns. At night, battery-powered LEDs in the center illuminate as the sculpture rotates, slowly changing color.
Lighting by Gavin Lund, and installation/fabrication assistance by Ike Feitler. Photos by Paula Countouris, Ike Feitler, and Keith Simmons. Installed and displayed at the Firefly Arts Collective, Figment Boston, and Visualize Somerville.
Spaces Between Us (2011)
The Spaces Between Us aims to explore relationships through an interactive art installation. A key encrusted chair is locked away in large wooden cylinder and a quarter section of the cylinder opens as the door to the interior of the cylinder. However, a padlock prevents the door from opening more than a few inches. The outside of the cylinder is encrusted in seventy-two small doors. Each door opens to reveal a cubby space, a set of keys hanging from a hook, and a view into the interior. Like memories and experiences that allow us to glimpse parts of a person's mind, opening one of the small doors triggers a bright, white light to illuminate part of interior of the project and the key covered chair. Users are encouraged to try to find the one key, the one memory or experience, that will unlock that padlock however, which cubby holds the correct key? Is it foolish to think that a person can be unlocked by one single key? Perhaps a mind cannot be truly understood without tearing apart the walls that define it.
Recipient of the Director's Grant from the MIT Council for the Arts. Installed at the MIT Wiesner Student Art Gallery.
Separations: An Experiment in Withdrawal (2010)
Sensors, lights, and physical objects created an immersive environment for communication, relaxation, and alienation. In the center of a colorful room stood a lit clear polycarbonate cube on a raised black platform. Surrounding the house stood glittering tinsel trees. The room reacted to viewers entering or exiting the room through color changing LED lights mounted to the walls. Sensors in the room reacted to touch and motion causing lights to respond sympathetically.
Viewers inside the house could observe the beauty of the exhibit around them: the sparking trees, the rainbow pulsing lights. However, these viewers inside the house were unable to interact with the trees or the sensors – they could only passively watch the exhibit.
Concept and physical structures by Paula Countouris. Lighting, electronics, and photography by Logan Williams. Recipient of the Director's Grant from the MIT Council for the Arts. Installed at the MIT Alumni event Steer Roast in Senior House.
Cello (2008)
Designed and built a fully functional cello from scratch using scrap wood and without instruction. All pieces except strings were fabricated: Formed sides by wetting and ironing against molds, and hand carved scroll and pegs. Completely tunable and playable. Western PA 2008 Science Olympiad Regionals: Silver Medal.
Tsumami Zaiku (2023-Current)
This Japanese craft is generally used to make decorative hair ornaments for Maiko (Geisha in training) and young women. This is a collection of some of the pieces I’ve worked on.
