Digitized Hope, 2019
Materials ABS, micro switch, 7-Segment LED, MCU<Digitized Hope> illustrates invisible hope in digits. Various religious traditions create and use prayer beads similar to this installation to mark the repetitions of prayers and devotions. The fundamental purpose lies in the functionality that is shared by both the prayer beads to assist worship and the installation that displays digits on the 7-segments. The function of these two different objects is essentially related to the concept of ‘count and store’ which forms an equal relationship. Thus, someone’s invisible but persistently carried will is converted to a digital signal via computational language and lasted permanently through this device.
In Buddism, the conflict of mankind is referred to as ‘108 anguish’. Its solution is earned and the struggle is relieved when the prayer is made in the counting of each bead on the 108 praying with the counting of 108 prayer beads. If our prayer and wish could be stacked, what is the meaning given to the quantitative value of our wish?
The beads installed on the outer surface of the groove on the internal gear are rolled which activate the pawl to press down the switch to display digits on the 7-segments.