Anima Mechanica
Interactive Installation with Inflatable Sculptures, 2026

Engineering : Aleksey Grachev
Programmimg : Matvei Peshkov
Production : Cyland




Totem sculptures are part of a larger body of research exploring the metamorphosis of time.
The project draws on the ancient concept of totems—objects representing spiritual beings, ancestors, or shared cultural lin-eages. Traditionally, totems serve as emblems of identity and continuity, transmitting stories and values across generations. In this work, the totemic essence is reinterpreted in a minimalist, contemporary form. Each towering structure commands its surroundings, inviting contemplation. It stands as a modern totem—stripped of figurative detail yet imbued with symbolic presence.
Time weaves subtly through the sculpture’s design. The polished metallic surface conveys a sense of timelessness, while the vertical form aspires toward the infinite. This tension—between past and future, solidity and transience—embodies the ongoing transformation that defines human experience.
The mechanical aesthetic of the sculpture also evokes the form of a meat grinder, an everyday object symbolizing trans-formation through fragmentation and recombination. This visual reference reinforces the work’s central theme: the cyclical process of deconstruction and renewal inherent in both time and matter.
The installation consists of four inflatable totems forming an interactive environment. Each totem is constructed from dura-ble inflatable material connected to an air pump controlled by an Arduino microcontroller. A proximity detector continuously monitors the presence of visitors. When no one is nearby, the air pump remains active, keeping the totems fully inflated—up-right and vital. As visitors approach, the sensors trigger the deflation mechanism, releasing air and causing the structures to collapse. When visitors move away, the totems slowly reinflate, regaining their original form.
Through this interplay of technology and symbolism, Totems becomes a living system—a meditation on presence, imper-manence, and transformation. The viewer’s proximity directly alters the sculpture’s state, highlighting the fragile equilibrium between animation and stillness, endurance and dissolution.