Kaleidoscope of Thoughts

Course DSC 598: Reading and Conference, under the guidance of Professor Weidi Zhang (Chair) and Professor Sven Ortel (Co-chair).

Project by: Megha Sachdeva
Sound Design: Cambelle Gregory

Kaleidoscope of Thoughts is an interactive visual meditation on the cyclical nature of thinking and the emotional architecture of the mind. Inspired by the phenomenon of how singular thoughts - especially those charged with emotion - can spiral into intricate tunnels of rumination, the work visualizes the mental space as a living kaleidoscope: every input multiplied, refracted, and reshaped.

Informed by conversations with individuals who shared personal moments of distress and recurring thought loops, the piece reflects on how mental patterns form, persist, and evolve. Through generative AI, these fragments of pain were gently transformed into affirmations - serving as a digital intervention into entrenched thought pathways.

The visuals weave together abstracted memory, dreamlike motion, and symbolic elements drawn from nature - such as the blooming Cercis canadensis, representing fading memory sequences. The use of cyanotype references the archival quality of memories, while a color-mapped emotional spectrum infuses each visual with tone and intensity. Central to the installation is the concept of the butterfly effect, suggesting that even a small shift in perspective can lead to meaningful emotional transformation. 

In this kaleidoscope, healing does not come through erasure - but through reflection and reframing.

Special Thanks: Paul Amendola (EIS setup), Daniel Ocanto (Audio Spatialization in EIS), and all the participants who contributed their voices and thoughts.