Volte-face (QuickTime) [Reynald Drouhin]
Volte-face represents one type of videomosaic: each frame of the video clip is composed of smaller images within a grid that come together to resemble a larger image. Here, two rotating faces and heads are represented using a mosaic of clouds. See Nuages-Visages for photos and information on an installation version of Volte-face.
Composing a macro image out of many micro images over time is a fairly straightforward time-based application of the photomosaic technique. However, I find this work notable in the way it departs from most photomosaics that I've seen. In Volte-face, there is less focus on reconstructing the original macro image as accurately as possible, which seems to be the goal for most photomosaics. Instead, the recreated macro images are blurry, vague and low-resolution, an effect achieved largely by restricting the number and types of source micro images. The end result feels soft and nebulous. It's a deliciously fitting representation of watching clouds float by and seeing fleeting, formless faces among them.
Check out Reynald Drouhin's works. You can see his other videomosaics as well as web-based mosaics such as Des Frags and Timescape.
Thanks to Reynald Drouhin.
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