Abstract
This paper presents ‘Plastic Mandala: A Ritual for a Sustainable Life’, an
ecological art installation that materializes the interconnected crises of tangible
marine plastic debris and invisible atmospheric pollutants into a multisensory
ritualistic experience. Addressing the environmental crisis of the “Plasticene,”
the work synthesizes physical plastic fragments collected from Jeju beaches with
real-time air-pollution data and the Earth’s electromagnetic phenomenon—the
Schumann Resonance, metaphorically invoked here as the planet’s rhythm —to
construct an integrated audiovisual mandala that bridges ecological chaos and
cosmic order. By employing Z-score standardization and a generative “genetic
blueprint” algorithm, the installation transmutes these dual forms of pollution
into distorted geometric forms and resonant soundscapes. The work creates a
liminal space in which the audience perceives the collision between synthetic
remnants and planetary energy through sight, sound, and vibration, thereby
facilitating a collective ritual of mourning and atonement. Furthermore,
spontaneous audience participation— observed through the spontaneous taking
of plastic shards —is interpreted as a qualitative indicator of the internalization
of shared ecological responsibility. Ultimately, this study argues that data
audiovisualization, when framed as a ritualistic practice, can serve as a powerful
medium for redefining the human-nature relationship and fostering a spiritual
realignment toward a sustainable life.
