Veil of Echoes

VEIL OF ECHOES

Veil of Echoes, 2024, by Insiya Motiwala, Bato Batbileg, Seo Yoon (Ian) Lee and Tengis Temuulen

“There were no sounds, lights or anything… Just the sands and me” -Ahmed Al Menhali

The desert has a unique relationship with human life. We are intrigued by its unique biodiversity, see it as a space for expansion, but also fear this impressive feat of nature. Humans have interpreted the desert in many ways, as a place of hard labor or even a place holding djinn after night fall. Veil of Echoes responds to these feelings of curiosity, hardship, fear and a supernatural trance. On the top of the dune you can see a fluttering majestic creature, moving with wind. As you walk closer to it, you start to hear its hums and the closer you walk the more it starts to ‘speak.’ As you reach within 5 ft of the creature the sounds become stronger and its arms start to move erratically, reacting to your presence, amplified by the strong winds all around. The audio is a soundscape of winds, animals from the desert, and voice recordings of people’s stories with the desert, including supernatural experiences. The pieces of fabric as a literal veil of this speaking spirit, echoing stories of the desert and embodying its essence.

Final Video:

Photo of a traveler walking up to the creature, while it responds to the wind.
As the traveler approaches, the ultrasonic sensor detects their presence and the servo arms start reacting.
Close up of the artwork.