In short: it’s an Ocean of human.

This digital artwork utilizes a particle simulation to explore the complex spatial dynamics of global migration. The “particles” within the system are comprised of human figures extracted from worldwide surveillance footage. Placed within a planetary framework, the movement of these figures is propelled by kinetic impulses emanating from various regional epicenters.

The visual interface is fractured across four distinct windows, each presenting the simulation at a different terrestrial scale.

Conceptually, the system’s architecture is designed to map real-time socio-economic data—translating migration catalysts such as regional GDP, unemployment rates, geopolitical conflict, and birth rates into physical forces. (Note: The current iteration utilizes randomized values to prototype these migratory shifts).

To visualize the impact of boundaries on human identity, the figures are categorized into twenty regional typologies. As a particle crosses a simulated border, its visual form instantly transforms, reflecting the fluidity of identity and the assimilative nature of displacement.