Inspired by NextG Wireless Security, this research-based project led to the production of a video and spatial sound installation exploring aspects of quantum communication and steganography by experimenting with ways sensitive data can be encrypted and sent via light sources, like fiber-optic cables, and in our case video projections and sound. 

The overt line of inquiry is exploring how information can be hidden, detected, and extracted. The subtext is introspection, and the various ways hidden information functions: from giving voice to individuals and ideas silenced by oppressive regimes to the spread of conspiracy theories, from cyber technologies’ impact on the natural world to its infiltration into human consciousness. This project will part the curtain, revealing the science and the subjective viewpoints behind detection and extraction.

The installation unfolds in three interconnected segments: the first focuses on Davian Robinson, a vision-impaired dancer who uses echolocation to understand and navigate unknown spaces. The second takes the viewer deep into the Amazon headwaters of Peru, with the final segment featuring Virginia Tech’s elite Gregor Guard silent drill team. Each segment presents imagery that can be interpreted in multiple ways. Viewers will bring their own experiences and histories, building narratives and meanings that may be hidden to others.