All That Moves Us: Tit for Tat
Tit for Tat is a kinetic sculpture that brings the hidden internal life of materials to the surface. The machine works by rhythmically compressing and releasing a sheet of heat-formed, clear plastic. Sandwiched between polarized filters and back-lit, the plastic reveals a shifting kaleidoscope of violet, orange, and blue. When you press the button, the motor kicks in, transforming these colors and showing you exactly how stress moves through the material in real time.
The sculpture is housed in a laser-cut plywood frame that acts as a portal into these shifting patterns. At its center is a shape molded from the seed pod of a Texas Mountain Laurel, which is a resilient, native species that manages to thrive despite the brutal heat and harsh freezes of Central Texas.
For me, the optical effect called birefringence, which I first explored during my residency at the UT Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials (CDCM), is both the medium and the message. It is a way to think about how our bodies, communities, and environments hold onto deep-seated tensions that are real, even when they are hidden from view.
Materials: laser-cut plywood, acrylic sheet, polarizing filters, LED light, 12V motor, pushbutton, electronics
Dimensions: 12”W x 22’H
Fabrication Support: Ayushi Kate & J.E. Johnson at Texas Inventionworks, DCBLaser Cutting and Prototyping
Supported by: The Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials (CDCM), an NSF MRSEC at UT Austin
I built this piece using everyday materials like plywood, a 12V motor, 3D-printed parts, and an LED kitchen light to create something that is anything but utilitarian. The sides of the machine are left open, inviting artists, engineers, and everyone in between to peek at the "guts" of the work. By using common items instead of traditional materials like marble or bronze, I want to make the work feel more approachable and less intimidating, especially in the context of an engineering building.
I chose the title Tit for Tat because I am intentionally stressing out the plastic. Many of us have a stressful, complicated relationship with plastic: we worry about its recyclability, the presence of microplastics, or whether it’s safe to microwave. Materials have their uses and their beauty, but they also carry heavy consequences. By putting the plastic through this mechanical strain, I am engaging in my own "tit for tat," mirroring the tension the material creates in our lives back onto the material itself.
plastic [is a ] a Janus-faced companion who can rightly inspire our deepest admiration and our strongest disgust.
Susan Freinkel, Plastic: A Toxic Love Story
