The turbulent and the laminar
The mathematics of nature.
Excerpt from the book “The fractal objects” by Benoît Mandelbrot (1975) read in the film:
Flows in fluids are multidimensional phenomena, the three components of velocity being functions of the three coordinates of space and time, but the empirical study so far has had to pass through one or more one-dimensional “slices”, each of which constitutes the chronicle of one of the velocity coordinates, at a fixed point. To get an intuitive idea of the structure of the cut through an atmospheric mass moving in front of the instrument, let us reverse the roles and take as “instrument” an airplane. A very rough level of analysis is illustrated by a very large airplane. Some corners of the atmosphere obviously appear to be turbulent, with the plane being shaken. In contrast, the rest appears laminar. But let’s do the test again with a smaller plane: on the one hand, it “feels” turbulent gusts where the big one didn’t, and on the other hand, it breaks down each shake of the big one into a gust of weaker shakes. So, if a turbulent piece of the section is examined in detail, it reveals laminar insertions, and so on as the analysis is refined, until the viscosity interrupts the cascade.
- The turbulent and the laminar (MPEG4)
The kaleidoscope, a figure made up of mirrored replications of the same image, offers a very “organic” vision of things. Like a visual metaphor for cell division, it opens up a realm of perceptions and emotions far beyond the mere decoration it might at first appear to embody. This figure, very rare in films, has always questioned me, which is why I’ve been exploring it in film for a long time.
It’s been a nice surprise to see animated kaleidoscopes flourishing on screens over the last four or five years, in film and series credits in particular. I invite you to read the manifesto text on the practice of animated kaleidoscopes, which I wrote ten years ago, in 2014: « Thinking about moving kaleidoscope image ».
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Moon in the water Film by Benoît Labourdette (2’45s, 2014).
Dialogue between a haiku of Ueda Chôshû and organic-generative kaleidoscopes images made with reality. -
Hope Un film de Benoît Labourdette (1’50s, 2018).
To cling to pillars planted in the water for centuries, to hope. -
Fragile hopscotch in the sky A film by Benoît Labourdette (3’31s, 2019).
The inner experience of a moment of pedagogical innovation in the classroom. -
In the cave (2001) Music album
Second album in 2001, consists of 15 pieces for nightlife, a little claustrophobic in vocal and physical consonances. Composition from actual (…) -
Let’s imagine a moment - Episode 18 A film by Benoît Labourdette (2’49s, 2009).
Let’s imagine for a moment that these streets are canals...