augury

augury - divination from patterns; auspices or omens;

"Augury" is a touch and motion interactive piece programmed with Processing.

The installation allows one to rearrange an animated bird flock by touching and moving the individual birds.

Different bird flock configurations result in different videos.

This piece is based on the ancient art of augury. In Ancient Rome, the divine will of the gods was interpreted by studying the flight of birds: whether they are flying in groups or alone, flock patterns, direction of flight and what kind of birds they are. This was known as "taking the auspices." The ceremony and function of augury was central to any major undertaking in Roman society- public or private- including matters of war, commerce, and religion.