Tipping Point

A kinetic light and sound installation in which 24 custom-designed metronomes respond to environmental data related to five major tipping points in the climate system. The datasets span from the early 20th century to projections of future change, turning the installation into a temporal simulation of a possible scenario.

The rhythm of the metronomes follows the changing data values. Initially calm, it gradually accelerates until it develops into an intensifying cacophony. At the climactic moment, all the metronomes suddenly stop, and the resulting silence becomes a sign of crossing a threshold beyond which the system may enter a state that is difficult, or impossible, to reverse.

The work shows how models and forecasts can transform an invisible future into a physical experience in the here and now. The title refers not only to climate tipping points, but also to a social tipping point: the threshold between awareness of the threat and the capacity to take meaningful action.

Curator: Elwira Wojtunik-Láng