Step into France’s Saint-Eustache cathedral, and — unlike most places of worship — you won’t be asked to turn your mobile phone off. Instead, you’ll be told to send a text message to the building, which is then converted into part of a laser show.
Called Shooting Thoughts, the installation byFilipe Vilas-Boas uses test messages to trigger mapped laser beams. In turn, they create a kind of constellation of stars on the ceiling of the cathedral. The beams traverse the columns and pillars of the church, using the architecture as a kind of pathway, before they reach the ceiling and join forces to form shapes. Vilas-Boas explains:
“The pillars are used as launch stations that carry the star to its final destination on the ceiling of the church via the arches and vaults. Like all of us, each star finds its place at its own speed with its individual trajectory.”
The results are mesmeric. You can see the installation in action in the video, below. [Shooting Thoughts via Creator’s Project via Engadget]