Haseeb Ahmed

The Vortex Faced Being

8 seconds looping GIF
Non-fungible token
1920 × 1080 pixels
Open edition

The Vortex-Faced Being represents all of the world’s winds.

The wind tunnel visualizes the turbulence pattern that trails a delta wing model. This turbulence pattern is the face of the wind. Smoke and a laser sheet allow for this otherwise invisible phenomenon to be seen. Changing the angle of the delta wing renders different recognizable facial expressions. This wind tunnel features a programmable robotic gimbal that adjusts the position of the delta wing. The gimbal responds to incoming weather data in real time. Invisibility is given a face, which is able to express emotion. This installation is a masterpiece of programmable complexity intertwined with a particularly sensitive layer of poetry. These NFTs are painted with the wind as opposed to digitally constructed. The Vortex-Faced Being is encountered in a specially designed DIY wind tunnel made with custom electronics and software, wood, and smoke.