Picnic in the Meadows is an artwork by Cindy Zhou and is an installation piece with electronic technologies and the arts along with a sculptural element to display the feeling of the sounds. It is a modern take on a make-believe picnic basket that is inspired by playing house, which is a typical activity for young girls. As a girl herself, her childhood did not include this activity however through the making of the basket she was able to reemerge herself as a younger child, and go back to a time of innocence, purity, and having fun with the most simple things.
The Sculptural element is made with cardboard, ribbon, paint, hot glue for keeping pieces together, as well as cellophane. It is a picnic basket with dishes inside, utensils, a piece of cake, blueberries, and a bouquet. To create dimension she utilized cardboard to build dimension and shape. To hide the electronic part, she created an extra part that is raised as a box to place the Arduino along with the radio board.
The dishes with the food create a feeling of eating but stop in motion as the sculptural piece is glued down, but also has some movement with the placement. The bouquet creates a feeling of life and nature. Adding another element of a dimension beyond food within an outdoor picnic. It is meant to represent a moment for yourself and celebrate yourself by having your little picnic, with your flowers and enjoying the moment of peace.
The concept is a picnic basket on the go for indoors or outdoors. Where one can carry it as a playset and see and hear sounds. The window creates an illusory sense to feed an outdoor environment which can continue this feeling of a picnic outdoors. The sort of cute scene with intriguing placements are surreal generating an almost uncomfortable feeling as the scene seems slightly unnatural and out of place.
The electronic part is coded on an Arduino and soldered with a radio board. During this process, there were a lot of problems like the board not working properly, and the USB cables not working. Multiple failed boards because of soldering issues. But here is the final thing, with music, that plays and works. Not with any lights or motion sensors, but if there is a chance, in the future she would play more with it if there weren’t so many technical difficulties.
The music was inspired by the few songs she knew when she played piano in elementary school connecting back to the childhood element and creating a sense of joy. The song ode to joy. As a nonmusical person, this was minimal, but still relates to the theme. As the sound is only played when it is on the correct channel for 87.9 most of the time is silent so it reflects a sense of calm and peace until it forces a sense of happiness on you. Where the stillness comes to life with sound and music. Creating an imaginary scene in one’s head where they are part of a happy picnic.
It is currently installed in Gliders Lounge, upstairs of Tec Cafe near Seventh College from June 3rd to June 7th.
Radio Chthulucene 87.9 FM 
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