The Call
Video, 2023
About the artwork
The Call (Part 1)
Set in the Arctic at night, The Call takes place under a sky lit by the northern lights. A network of glowing cables and fiber optics stretch across the sky, representing the complex web of modern communication.
In this setting, the whale begins its journey, picking up signals through abstract ethernet cables and networks of echolocation rings. Amidst the whale's natural songs and clicks, a text is sent: "R U There?"—setting off the quiet vibration of an unanswered cell phone.
As the whale moves through this web of signals, The Call introduces the beginning of its search for connection.
Created and edited by Floam World using Runway Gen-2, Runway Gen-3, Dalle3, Midjourney, magnific.ai, and 3D Software.
R U There? is a 4-part video series that explores the meaning of connection in modern society. The series follows a whale using bioluminescent echolocation, whale songs, vocalizations, and “clicks” as it journeys through different worlds in search of meaningful connections.
At the start and end of each video, sound and images link the series together, creating a continuous thread that underscores the theme of connection. This approach aims to connect the owners of these videos, if only for a brief moment, with others who experience the series.
Sound design by Floam World
Audio explanation
Listen to Floam World discuss this work.
Floam World is the creation of artist Leilanni Todd. In this surreal and playful reality, the sentient "FLOAM" rules all as Todd uses humor and absurdity to challenge traditional norms while exploring personal and complex societal issues.
Floam World serves as a platform for Todd to explore themes that resonate with her, such as climate change and its impact on the environment and animals, fashion and beauty standards, the female perspective, and consumer culture. With years of experience crafting advertising campaigns, she often incorporates parody and commentary on consumerism into her work. Growing up in Canada, surrounded by nature, Todd developed a deep love for the environment and its small creatures, a passion reflected in the recurring Floamies. Early memories of being by the water and the sense of freedom she felt continue to inspire her work.
She studied Art Direction at the Ontario College of Art & Design and completed the Advanced Visual Studies 5th-Year Program in Florence, Italy, with a final body of work and thesis focused on semiotics. In 2013, she launched her eco-conscious ready-to-wear line and later introduced her swimwear line, LEILANNI.
An award-winning creative director with two decades of experience in advertising and fashion, Todd’s work has been recognized at Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, and The Clios, and has been featured in publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Wired, among others. Her recent projects include the 3D animated short film Scrimps Need Love Too, which screened at BAM, and the AI short Everyone is Chair, showcased at the 2024 Tribeca Festival. Based in New York, Todd continues to push the boundaries of her art practice using 3D media and generative AI.