Forget Me

A Pen Plotter Project About Erasing Lines

Forget Me is an installation featuring two pen plotters: one draws with heat-sensitive ink, and the other erases those drawings with a the flame of a candle. They operate together, visually representing the temporary nature of things and the constant passage of time.

About

The installation seeks to question the enduring perception that written words are everlasting. Contrary to this belief, it posits that most written materials are destined to fade into obscurity over time. Using plotters, which operate similarly to printers, this installation diverges from the traditional output of printers. Instead of delivering a permanent outcome, it uses thermochromic ink, activated by heat, to produce a continuous choreography of marks that appear and then vanish.

Delving into themes of impermanence and the fleeting nature of existence, the project weaves between geometric configurations and AI-generated text replicating human handwriting. Select passages are chosen from Pablo Neruda’s ‘If You Forget Me,’ a poem that elegantly reflects the project’s investigation into themes of remembrance, the swift passage of time, and the transient essence of life’s moments.

Context

Conceived as a part of the scenography for the 2024 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) exhibition, this installation is set to be presented alongside watch design diploma projects from HEAD-Genève. The GPHG is a prestigious yearly celebration honoring innovation and excellence within watchmaking.

The realization of this project was a collaboration with Ekaterina Bliznyuk, arising from a week-long workshop in January 2024. The Media Design department at HEAD-Genève hosted the workshop, “Time Telling Machines,” led by industrial designer and artist Arnaud Pfeffer.

Technical Specifications

A wooden frame measuring 645mm x 460mm x 205mm holds two vertically aligned pen plotters. The top one comes with a thermochromic ink pen, while the bottom one is equipped with a lit candle. A hurricane holder is used to focus the flame on a specific area of the paper, which is resilient to moving air nearby. The thermochromic ink turns transparent at approximately 63 degrees Celsius. The candle can be brought closer in colder rooms to ensure this temperature. However, using flame-retardant paper and quoting the frame with fire-retardant materials is necessary.

A custom script synchronizes pen plotters’ movements. It coordinates custom tool paths with varied speed, acceleration, and pen movement parameters.

Material List