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February 28, 2005
Production Plan Rough
So, I did a rough plan. Hopefully we can fill in the blanks and add more/smaller goals and deadlines during class tomorrow and be done in two or three iterations. I also assumed we might want to begin on a Monday which is the 11th instead of the 12th...
Production Plan: Public Art Kiosk 3/1/2005 Version 1.0
FINAL DEADLINE: April 11, 2005
Producer:
Technology Team:
Design Team:
Physical Team:
March 1, 2005 4:20 PM Finalize concepts and goals of project w/some specifics
March 1, 2005 5:00 PM Determine groups and group deadlines
March 10, 2005 Proposal completed for pitch to permission granters
March 15, 2005 Final Budget completed for submission
March 31, 2005 Opening or Closing Planned
April 6, 7, 8 Advertisments placed
April 7, 8, 9, 10 Fliers distributed throughout campus
Technology Team
( ) Design and implement Software program for automation, capturing faces, performance display
April 1, 2005 Software up and running
Design Team
March 8, 2005 Get design specs to technology and physical team on projection, software and hardware requirements
( ) Finalize concept designs for created media and collage specifications
March 25, 2005 Media Creation completed
Physical Team
March 8-28, 2005 Plan and budget materials, purchase, plan implementation
April 1, 2005 Begin building/implementing on Kiosk
April 4, 2005 hardware and software set-up
My thoughts are 2 for design team, and they will be busiest early in the month. 2 for software and they will be steady throught the month in terms of devoted time. Then 3 or 4 for physical team, which would be hustling the most the last 2 weeks. I'm assuming Naimark is one producer, but we also might want to consider having one of us do it to keep on top of everything. On top of whatever else I do, I am willing to do the advertising/PR stuff of course :)
Posted by jdillon at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)
PROOF OF CONCEPT
All of the comments and sketches are very ambitious, so I propose we think in terms of proof of concept, that is, what we can actually get done. Again, the goal is to have something up on APRIL 12 for a LIMITED amount of time. So here are some basic questions:
- what can we demonstrate as a basic, doable, proof of concept?
- can we do one of a something rather than a more-than-one of a something?
- can we use human labor (say, every early evening) to do what we'd rather have done automatically, to show our concept?
I'm awaiting word from Scott about projectors and other resources and will hopefully have news by tomorrow.
Posted by naimark at 03:45 PM | Comments (3)
design
(rendered here with transparent screens. clock would actually be mounted on the backdoor)
sod interior. tin foil roof. red satin curtains. countdown clock. interactive musical LED flower garden surrounded by shear flowing curtains. aluminum frame for opaque synthetic screen (should weather better than natural). maybe some strobe lights. feather would definitely need to glow at night. soft music in daytime, loud at nightime performance. couches and chairs in the garden and under screens. could be a place where people come and do work, use the internet, and hopefully upload and record media.
Posted by brad at 01:26 AM | Comments (4)
February 27, 2005
Registering Faces
Today’s discussion: REGISTERING FACES
If we want to record faces, and if we want to somehow put them together, we may wish to think about registration.
Remember that what makes the Disney Talking Head work is that the image of the eyes fall into the eye area of the mask-shaped screen, the lips onto the lip area, etc. Some slop is OK but too much ruins an otherwise awesome illusion.
The best way to register faces is by lining up the eyes (i.e., by moving one image in x and y and rotating and zooming). Since eyes are perfect circles, this can be done perfectly. Our own Peggy Weil did some incredible work on this for her graduate thesis. When such registered faces are combined in space (like superimposed) or time (like fast editing), the result is magic.
An even better way is to first line up the eyes, then line up the horizontal mouth line (i.e., by scaling vertically). Check out a 1988 rock video by Godley & Creme called “Cry.” The only hit I could find supports only Windows see "www.vh1.com/artists/az/godley_creme/artist.jhtml". Can somebody copy it?
Does anyone know anything about doing these things automatically? I think it’s doable in Jitter.
Posted by naimark at 01:15 PM | Comments (3)
Kiosk Design Concept
This is a design concept that uses a roof mounted projector array, three-sided canvas crown (stretched over bracketed flagpoles), and three modular "face-boxes" (installed on the existing stainless steel shelves).
Posted by andrew at 09:32 AM | Comments (4)
February 26, 2005
brad - entry 02
this is a really rough basic design. the area in between the screens would have a curtain and there would be some place for persons to put their face. I've got some sketches that are more interesting to post soon.
Posted by brad at 03:18 PM | Comments (1)
February 25, 2005
brad - entry 01
Project What:
I think sticking with mostly faces is a good way to simplify this project, nad has potentials for doing interesting things with (which is our next big step to figure out).
Project On:
There are 3 windows in the kiosk. I would mount two large screens outside the two windows on either side of the central window, and have a camera in the central window.
The number of machines inside is a big question to solve. I think it would be possible to have one computer with two video outputs for the two projectors, however, whether or not we have enough processing power for handling two video outputs along with any compositing or effects we want to add or sound we want to play is something to figure out.
If we go with 2 projectors, and 2 computers, the question/problem is that of networking and synchronization.
Posted by brad at 06:54 PM | Comments (0)
Project What, On What?
Today’s discussion: PROJECT WHAT???
If everyone’s OK with the “quick summary” email on 2/22, one of the assumptions is that we’re concentrating on recording and displaying faces. This would be like the left side of Andrew’s sketch
So the question of the day is: project what? On what??
Keep in mind that projecting faces on face-shaped screens requires some kind of registration
The Suzuki installation that Brad points to uses the spinning jungle-gym as a screen (the photo is actually a time lapse image). But projecting on domes or other shapes may be worth considering.
Finally, better to project on something smallish that’s brightish than on something biggish that’s dimish.
I know I know, what’s the content? We’re at a point where we need to play both sides. So today: project what? On what??
Posted by brad at 06:51 PM | Comments (1)
February 23, 2005
Globe-Jungle Project
Thought this was particularly pertinent to our project:
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/004240.php
Posted by brad at 06:01 PM | Comments (3)
February 22, 2005
Notes from Class 02/22/05
The Short Version
Silhouette as one of the options
Media is mixed together for night presentation
Along with footage from the history of usc
Ongoing experience
with pay off during the day and night
Inviting space with different areas of interactivity
Sounds based on motion
with a created exterior structure
peepholes
Summary of Homework Assignment Pitches
Jenova
Attract People
Curtains - will generate curiosity and serve as a medium for the proejction
- will give it a glowing orb look at night, also attracting attentio
- could have a MAX/MSP effect running, and when you enter the curtain, the background is a color good for motion tracking
- will provide some privacy in the experience; maybe not at all the stations
3 Monitors
- will use monitors during the day for images
On top of the spectacle, could generate word-of-mouth
Taking a question and flipping it into something entertaining
Kellee
a community sound off - give students the chance to express
immediate pay-off - something the person does at the kiosk during the day is seen/heard at night
silhouette - person moves in front of camera, sillhouette is captured, and then a "cast of hundreds" at night
- provides intimacy and anonymity
options - person can do this or some less anonymous sound off
Ashley
history of usc
background, b-roll, along with interviews with students and teachers and whatever feedback we've gathered during the day
simul-spacial; using this alongside the media we've gathered
narrative
something someone can enjoy at anytime, for any length of time
during the day, you could watch someone else's recording before you do your own
audience gets rewarded during the day as well as night, so it inspires spontaneous game/play
Andrew
Refrigerator Door: like how parents put things their kids' made on the refrigerator
- multiple inputs and outputs
- different sections, so different people experience different areas in different ways
- different modes of expression (swiss army knife)
- more inviting than demanding
- might be hard to execute
- could make it an aestetic
Brad
Detect motion and have it trigger sounds - music/creepy voices
This entity taking stuff in and regurgitating it
A new clock/calendar - time is reflected physically by the piece
USC time
Michael
A jules verne machine-aestetic
as if the kiosk had been there the entire history of the university
build an exterior structure
Erin
Living Organism structure
Inflatable bean bag chair
transform the space into a place of splendr and beauty
alive during the day, goes to sleep and dreams at night
appears more revealing at night, while it's "sharing"
Julie
Mixed media as it's gathering to provide options
the presentation happens remotely, maybe all over The Quad
peepholes
dioramas, projections, and places for interaction
force people to put their face up to a peephole, and capture the video and audio
project it in different forms
Posted by kellee at 06:03 PM | Comments (0)
Kiosk Concept
GOAL:
To awaken the richness of life’s splendor on USC’s campus; this will be the goal of my ideal kiosk remake.
POSSIBLE IDEA:
I would like to alter the kiosk to become a mysterious entity on campus, a unearthly visitor. The form would be modified to represent an organic form (as Illustrated below). During the day the neo-kiosk would gather audio and visual data, “listening” to its surroundings; perceiving. At night it would sleep, and from its slumber would arise dreams, remixes of the days data, abstract stories of color, light and sound.
Posted by edinehart at 01:56 PM | Comments (0)
emergence
GOAL: Having the kiosk come alive at night
IDEA/SOLUTION: I'm wrestling with how to handle the screens. I do like the idea of the curtains, it's just incredibly potent (the old effect of people wanting to see what only others are seeing), I just don't know if I want to use the curtain as the screen because I still really like the idea of the screens emerging / unfolding at dusk. This idea isn't resolved, but I wanted to post the thoughts anyway.
Posted by brad at 01:01 PM | Comments (0)
Refrigerator Door - Sketch
Posted by andrew at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)
Cosmetic Suggestion for the Kiosk
Goal: To attract passerby to the kiosk
Possible Idea: Well as I stated in a comment to Ashley's idea (posted by Andrew), I like the idea of a "window to the past." If we did this, my suggestion would be to somehow alter the exterior of the kiosk (either directly or by covering it with removable panels) to look like a piece of rusty machinery with a Victorian/Jules Verne kind of look to it.
Barring that, we shoud use bright colors, as there are not enough of those on the current kiosk.
Posted by msteffen at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)
Attraction
GOAL: Attract participants to the kiosk. On the flip side, don't annoy every person that passes by.
IDEA/SOLUTION: Use cameras installed under the roof of the kiosk and angle them around 45 degrees at the ground (so that only about a 15 ft radius around the kiosk is covered). Use Jitter to detect motion, and generate sound based on the amount of motion. How much of the camera is filled with motion (e.g. white) determines the type of sound. Sounds for slight or far away motion would be inquisitive or alluring (I really like the idea of targeted whispers, as well as musical notes/tones). As the person approaches, the sounds would become more enveloping and soothing, hopefully seducing the person to participate and come to the kiosk. It could be kinda creepy/cool to have the sound be a layering of voices saying "Hello" "Come here" "closer...closer" etc.
Posted by brad at 11:18 AM | Comments (1)
Merging Past with Present - Kiosk Concept
I'm posting this for Ashley, as she was having problems with the blog:
Ashley York/Project idea/CTIN 542
GOAL
To create an immersive public space on USC’s campus that engages faculty, students and staff
in the oldest, private research university on the West coast.
POSSIBLE IDEA
An interactive installation that merges the past with the present on USC’s campus. Using
archival footage and present day images, which would be recorded daily, a projection system
will allow passersby to merge with the past. As proposed by many of us in class, recording
imagery in the day and projecting at night could be a stunning visual aid to achieve the goal of
the project.
Some possible scenarios to consider would be to take campus back to 1880 when it first
opened its doors to 53 students and 10 teachers and contrast that with today’s campus climate,
which embodies 32,000 students. Tuition at that time was $15 per term and students were not
allowed to leave town without the knowledge and consent of the university president.
The kiosk, which will include a database of archival selects, will allow contemporary students
and staff to meet SC's first class valedictorian, a woman, Minnie C. Miltimore, class of 1884;
attend the first football game in 1888 where USC trampled its opponent, 16-0; and to see
campus in 1918 when Amy Winship, a reported girlfriend to Abe Lincoln, attended the
university at the age of 87.
An all-inclusive system of the rich and varied campus atmosphere, the system will allow for the
exploration of the medical system, which serves more than one million patients each year; the
marching band, which is the only one in the U.S. that has earned a platinum record; and the
world famous School of Cinema-Television where students produce more than 200 hours of
motion picture each year. The project would not be complete without “Fight On,” USC’s
anthem, which was used to inspire troops during World War II.
While the content will be rich and varied, it should be designed so that the interaction is easily
understood and simple to interact with.
Posted by andrew at 09:21 AM | Comments (2)
February 21, 2005
Public Space Inspiration
Feeling homesick for NYC, I had to post up one of my favorite public art pieces - the Astor Place Cube. A meeting place for skaters, ravers, punks, and other interesting people. You can push on it and it spins around! I've always loved that you could alter part of the city's landscape like that; interaction with immediate satisfaction. Who knows how many tourists' pictures I've single-handedly designed that way?
Warning: pushing it around with your friends while drunk at 4:30am isn't as good an idea as it sounds.
Posted by kellee at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2005
Refrigerator Door - Kiosk Concept
GOALS:
1) The primary goal of the “Kiosk Assignment” is to engage USC students, faculty & staff in a meaningful and personally expressive public activity that reflects campus life & spirit.
2) The secondary goal is to implement a public interactive project that represents the value of interactive media to USC students, faculty & staff.
3) And the tertiary goal would be to begin an updatable ongoing project for future IM-MFA students in their second year of study.
CONCEPT:
“The USC Refrigerator Door” is the first public installation project proposal for CTIN-542 that will achieve all three goals of the “Kiosk Assignment.” A typical refrigerator door is more than a hatch for a kitchen “ice box.” It is a place to display photos, writings, and small keepsakes that reflect an individual’s or family’s life. The “USC Refrigerator Door” would be much the same thing with a “larger family” and new media/technology.
INPUT:
USC Students, staff, and faculty would input live content through several customized devises located at the kiosk, video, and stills. This would function very much like a photo/video/recording kiosk. The “MOM” (Montage Organizing Memory) would collect the data throughout the day and display it from Sunset to Midnight, that same day. Input devices would encourage daily interaction and could include 30-second face-cam interviews, sequential action photos, karaoke challenges, keyboard text messages, and doodle pads.
OUTPUT:
The display system would include an eclectic collection of technology including rear & front projection, various speakers, LEDs, TV screens, etc. It could also allow people to “VJ” and/or “Tivo” through a cycle or specified time frame.
Posted by andrew at 12:35 AM | Comments (5)
February 19, 2005
Assignment for Feb 22, 2005
I think we can start this thread by putting our ideas together. Please feel free to edit this thread. Here's my goal and idea to reach it.
Jenova
Goal: Attract people to check out this installation in the public space.
Single Idea: Curtains around the Kiosk serves as both covers and screens at night. The curtain will be long enough to reach the user's knees, so that students passing around the kiosk will feel curious about what's going on inside. At night, we will project things on the curtains which obviously become a big neon light attracting both human and insects -_-.
kellee
Goal:
To collect information and redistribute it at night in an unexpected way. I think this kiosk is an excellent opportunity for us to reflect our status as part of the Cinema-Television School; that is, we are a place for NEW MEDIA - the future of the cinema is interactive entertainment! I want to show them why.
Single Idea:
A Community Sound-Off
Similar to Andrew's idea above:
Students can record a message (visually, orally, or written) and these messages will be presented as part of the evening presentation without editing(we could combine them with other things, though) - this could act as the most direct payoff of the interaction, to get your message broadcast in the center of campus, that could act as the gateway to getting students to have more subtle, detailed interactions.
Ashley
Goal:
To create an immersive public space on USC’s campus that engages faculty, students and staff
in the oldest, private research university on the West coast.
Idea:
An interactive installation that merges the past with the present on USC’s campus. Using archival footage and present day images, which would be recorded daily, a projection system will allow passersby to merge with the past. As proposed by many of us in class, recording
imagery in the day and projecting at night could be a stunning visual aid to achieve the goal of the project.
Some possible scenarios to consider would be to take campus back to 1880 when it first opened its doors to 53 students and 10 teachers and contrast that with today’s campus climate, which embodies 32,000 students. Tuition at that time was $15 per term and students were not
allowed to leave town without the knowledge and consent of the university president.
The kiosk, which will include a database of archival selects, will allow contemporary students and staff to meet SC's first class valedictorian, a woman, Minnie C. Miltimore, class of 1884;
attend the first football game in 1888 where USC trampled its opponent, 16-0; and to see campus in 1918 when Amy Winship, a reported girlfriend to Abe Lincoln, attended the university at the age of 87.
An all-inclusive system of the rich and varied campus atmosphere, the system will allow for the exploration of the medical system, which serves more than one million patients each year; the marching band, which is the only one in the U.S. that has earned a platinum record; and the world famous School of Cinema-Television where students produce more than 200 hours of motion picture each year. The project would not be complete without “Fight On,” USC’s anthem, which was used to inspire troops during World War II.
While the content will be rich and varied, it should be designed so that the interaction is easily understood and simple to interact with.
Posted by Jenova at 11:13 AM | Comments (2)
February 17, 2005
class 6 - 2/15/05
My notes:
--- day input / night results
--- temporary, 1-2 weeks
--- question / discussion / theme
--- simple
--- blog-like?
--- using internet??
Whiteboard notes:
--- kiosk as character
--- time / place
--- interactive grafitti / mood visualization
--- echo / mirror
--- express yourself
--- data collection / performance / after party
--- content
--- explore different theme every day
--- users can provide questions
Posted by naimark at 02:14 PM | Comments (1)
February 15, 2005
Interactive Bus-Stop
I think putting some screens of some kind in front of the kiosk would be awesome. With some money and engineering, it'd be great to make them retractable like petals or wings. Using computer vision tracking for interaction would be a possible way to interact with the projected imagery.
Posted by brad at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)
R2-D2 inspiration
In trying to think of an incentive for people to interact with the kiosk, I thought of making it have some intelligence to transform it from a kiosk, into more of a "being" or "creature", and to give it a playful personality. R2 came to mind as a simple way to imbue something with intelligence with body language and beeps, not to mention a handy-dandy holographic projector.
Posted by brad at 02:55 PM | Comments (0)
Proposal Q's
To begin, we will need clear concise answers to:
Target Audience(who):
One-liner/Elevator Pitch(what):
Locations used(where): This can include Kiosk and any other areas (projections on floor, walls, Tommycam, other camera set-ups, ZSC link-up)
Project Summary(why): Defined experience, Benefits to Audience, Goals and Themes explored
Technical Specifications(how):Diagrams, explanations, equipment needed (addendum can be Budget)
Answering all those will get us all on the same page when we head into production, and make a handy proposal to hand/pitch to anyone who needs it.
Posted by jdillon at 01:48 PM | Comments (0)
Kiosk Idea: Exploring Community
In our brainstorming session, it was mentioned many times about connecting with people on other campuses, in other places, or even other times. While I think that is fascinating, I think the kiosk, its position on campus, and the students who would use it would also be perfect for connecting those who are right here. This is a large campus with 20,000 students on it daily, thousands of clubs and activities and lacking a central community center or area for congregation. I think the kiosk could be used for connecting people to others they may otherwise never come into contact with. I’d like this kiosk to be an opportunity for USC students to learn about themselves and others, explore the similarities and differences.
Ultimately, however, my main personal goal for this project would be an exciting, interesting experience that would be something you would want to show-off to friends. I think it needs to be entertaining, especially for this campus, and I feel the hard part will be making it entertaining while making it an opportunity for growth.
It was very difficult for me to find anything that was a good representation because I don't know much about the art scenes here in NY or elsewhere.(gotta work on that).
Here’s one that sort of explores this idea on a larger scale (an entire city), and uses telephones and voice rather then visuals(as I would prefer).
Is Anyone There
Exploring city life through a database of conversations recorded from pay phones around San Francisco.
Posted by jdillon at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)
"Echo, Narcissus, & Tivo" - Kiosk Ideas/Notions
I’ve spent some time around the kiosk and believe the “content” should be about the students themselves, rather than a political message and/or single point of view (expressed by us). Perhaps the best representation of this would be inspired by the notion of “Echo & Narcissus” as discussed by David Rokeby. I very much like the idea that the kiosk would be a type of mirror, that reflects and perhaps reinterprets what it sees. This reinterpretation could include time and/or the perception of time, as we discussed with the “Time Totem” concept. A portion of the user interface could function like Tivo as it is a familiar concept to many people. However, a “LBE Tivo” would be a novel twist on the theme. This coupled with graphic filters could produce artful imagery and a sense of user control and/or empowerment.
Posted by andrew at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)
Lisa Bulawsky: Point of Reference for Project
The assignment was
"After spending time at the kiosk and reading the notes, decide what's most important to you and find at least one example of public space interactive media that exemplifies it."
Well, this is not digitally interactive, but it does embody something I would like to see in our own project. In my google search, I came upon Lisa Bulawsky, an artist who did a number of installations on campuses, once being Operation Pandemic Joy (isn't that name great?).
"Operation Pandemic Joy was conceived of as a full-scale, multi-media propaganda campaign that promoted joy. The methods and aesthetics of government war posters and billboards as well as World War II public service announcements and propagandistic material were important sources for the development of this project. Much of that source material focused on participation and citizenship investment in the national effort."
My instinct with this project (as always) was to do something "right." Something that reflected what we think IS present on campus, but ignored. But, in sitting around the kiosk pondering the question "what does this kiosk see all day?" I realized that the energy around the kiosk is pretty dull. Maybe a bad improv show occasionally? Crazy antics around tommy trojan? Trashed game-goers on a football Saturday? USC's campus can be a waste at times of rich bored kids with empty aspirations, and that's what *I* see when I'm in that area. I'm reminded of my first year here, when I would meet up with an old friend of mine from Richmond who was attending USC, and we would meet for lunch just around the corner from the kiosk and watch the over-dressed parade.
Instead, I would like to create a work that embodies qualities that maybe we WANT, or think SHOULD BE in that area, similar to what Bulawsky communicated in her Joy series. Or, at the very least, I would like to not ignore either the yin or the yang of our student body, if that makes sense.
Find out more about Lisa here.
Posted by kellee at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2005
More Kiosk Photos
Check them out (with notations, hopefully - first try) at my flickr account.
Posted by kellee at 06:31 PM | Comments (0)
Kiosk Pan
Taken at 3:15 this afternoon, Valentine's Day 2005.
Top Left side = NE corner, and goes clockwise around back to face N - direct North is missing because the image is getting cropped by the border, but I didn't want to split up again. Will post more later.
Posted by kellee at 06:06 PM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2005
assignment for next week (2/15)
- Everyone:
--- Spend time around the kiosk.
--- Read the class notes posted by Kellee.
--- NEW: After spending time at the kiosk and reading the notes, decide what’s most important to you and find at least one example of public space interactive media that exemplifies it.
- Julie will formulate market Qs.
- Ashley will do some recon about who controls the kiosk (but primarily to help us understand context and history)
We’ll hold off on finding resources and funds for now until we firm up our plans.
Posted by naimark at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)
February 09, 2005
Public Space Interactive Media Project
Class Brainstorm, 02.08.05
Ideas are straight from the board, and I'm missing the "To Do" list. Feel free to get in on this post and change as needed.
Lock down idea provisionally
360 Camera
Time Delay
Direction expands time & space
2 way projection between 2 spaces
tactile (hand shake)
remote presence over time vs over space
spiritual - captures moments like a time capsule
Multiple ppl & experiences
eye-catching/curiosity
reiterative experience
intuitive
see something different
projections:
frosted glass
rear
mirror
Approach in throrough Matter
-specifics
-"sell it"
-slam dunk
How long? wht? Why important?
gather logistics
strong, interesting, controversial content(rape/heroin)
user input
-user fed
-setting up
-adding our content
-altering experience of life
boards around kiosk for panoramic
smoke generators )drugs, ambirent lighting)
fountains
lasers
intepret campus life
how does the kiosk see us/think?
awakening to it at night
screens fold out
not required for long dwell time
sounds?
even thing
have an opening party
remix time
just as interesting in day
collects during day
exhibits at night
the image captured goes thru something
"the piece of crap kiosk has something to day"
philosophical
recorded sounds/disparite
database of space - remixing
Camera w/ethernet jack (axis 205)
messenging service
campus dead at night
foster aliveness
hold events
opening party
not enough of an artist statment
(more of a service)
like Reactrix
computer vision - interactive walls
have a personality
-observing
- reacting
-instigating
we control all content vs content generated from the other sourcesvs emergent: rules $ structure run free = surprise greatness
cellphone interface
not random signala?
-context given
cellphone interface
physical interface
periscope-y
tapping into other cameras around campus
turns into past
Posted by kellee at 08:40 PM | Comments (8)
February 08, 2005
Thesis prep, assignment no. 4
assignment no. 3
CTIN 548
AREA OF INTEREST
Death as an absolute, fear of death, government imposed death, individuals/groups that commit death on others for sport largely as a result of their subjective bias.
Abortion is an absolute form of death. Suicide is another wretched thing for someone to do to his or her self. Death can be dirty, like if it’s gotten from something like HIV. Death from starvation — even if it’s because you live in a marginalized and impoverished community.
The shame of death because you were gunned down in your neighborhood while swinging a bag of dope. Death from a plane crash is also a scary thought. Death from drowning, falling or crashing. Are we afraid of death because of the uncertainly of whether we’ll arrive in heaven when we wake?
SUBJECTS
The Ku Klux Klan
Death penalty (lethal injection, gas chamber, electric chair, lynching)
Tim McVeigh
The fear of death my subjects faced and still do as they face the possibility of an appeal. How the threat of it forced them to sacrifice the rest of their young lives.
GENRE/AUDIENCE
The general public or an audience that enjoys stories, hearing about others, exploring their weak moments and embracing their most joyous ones. The topics beg for question.
COMMONALITY
The unique quality shared by all of these examples is the immortal, horrible thing we know as death. They say people don’t donate their organs because they are terrified to admit that they too will one day die. The same reason they say people rubberneck in traffic over a car accident because they’re glad it’s not them.
QUESTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Why are people terrified of dying?
Why can’t we accept our death?
Why does the fear of hell scare the shit out of people?
How can I create a space where people will feel this fear?
How can we feel death even though we are living?
How can interacting in death environments enhance the experience?
How can I project the feeling of death?
METHOD/PROCESS
A death chamber can serve as a method for exploring capitol punishment.
A bonfire with a wooden deck and noose could serve symbolically for the southern tradition of a public hanging.
An electric chair could serve as a method for exploring execution.
TERM
I will commit to myself for the duration of this project. Undeniably, I will serve as the participant, viewer, player, reader, user and audience throughout its inception, through its production and long after its duration. I will be the person to rely on as it’s inevitable that I will be ridiculed, criticized, told that I have no story, encouraged to drop it. None of that means I will and
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Edison & the Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death by Mark Regan Essig and Mark Essig.
The Fiery Cross: The Ku Klux Klan in America by Wyn Craig Wade
American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing by Dan Herbeck and Lou Michel
The Death Penalty: An American History by Stuart Banner
The Exonerated
PONTIFICATION ON CURRENT EVENTS
On a side note, I have never been so bored with American politics. Watching George Bush deliver his state of the union is the lamest thing I can do. To be frank, I couldn’t care less about anything he has to say. The war has been going on so long and it doesn’t seem that there is any end in sight. It was briefly mentioned during the address. It makes me want to shoot myself.
NOTES BASED ON MY PRESENTATION
Electric chair is a technological death
There not alive and their not dead.
THINGS TO WATCH
Dancer in the Dark
A play called The Chair
PEOPLE TO CONSULT
David Gordon, performance artist who has worked with chairs
WHAT I WANT THE AUDIENCE TO FEEL
Helping them understand how my subjects felt as they plead guilty. Want to create that same fear.
ANDREW’S SUGGESTION
Two chairs that illustrate opposing views of the death penalty. This could allow the audience to participate.
ANOTHER SIDE NOTE
Munchkin is such a cute word.
Posted by ashley at 03:12 PM | Comments (0)
InteractiveSpaces.net
Not specifically one space, but looks like they might be a good resource. From their website:
InteractiveSpaces is an interdisciplinary research center bringing together architecture, engineering, and computer science with the research mission to create new concepts for future interactive spaces. InteractiveSpaces.net also bring together companies and public researchers in a R&D activities leading to new products and services for specific domains.The research activities focus on six themes which may be applicable to one or more of the application domain projects undertaken in the center. The application domains to be studied include schools, libraries, museums, homes and specific workplaces.
They are located in Denmark, and it looks like they have done some interesting projects.
Website: http://www.interactivespaces.net/
Posted by msteffen at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)
February 04, 2005
Blinkenlights
Games using a mobile phone and building lights:
via near near future
Posted by brad at 01:10 AM | Comments (0)
February 03, 2005
class 4 - 1/31/05
Public Space Exhibit Brainstorm of What’s Important:
--- social - connections/bring people together/community
--- playful experience
--- outside place
--- short potential dwell time
--- shows different POVs
--- active experience
--- durable
Issue of real v apparent interactivity
--- interactivity as illusion
Value of no instructions needed
--- e.g., Reactrix system
Value of small input, giant output
--- e.g., Scott Snibbe “Blow Up” (fans matrix)
Binaural audio is cool
--- haircut, bees on face, being eaten by hungry dogs
Posted by naimark at 08:29 PM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2005
Actually "Public" Art Venues
Local:
Los Angeles Natural History Museum
An awesome inspiring venue of the past and present, with rotating exhibits. Check out dinosaurs and rose gardens.
I see great potential to create punlic interactive installation works on the grounds around NHM.
Non-local:
Chicago's Millenium Park Recently opened next to the Art Institite of Chicago, and Grant Park, between the Loop and the lake, this new amazing venue is full of possibilities. The list of attractions includes, gardens, theatres, sculpture plazas, and fountains.
Posted by edinehart at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)
Public space, far away
What: An installation that gives visitors a chance to discover how sounds influence their imagination, as they explore an empty room with noises and voices from the past rising and falling in response to movement.
Characters include a sailor, African man and captain - all who witnessed the treatment of human cargo during this time of vast slave trade.
Funded by the Culture Online, an initiative by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to increase access to arts and culture.
source: http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART20518.html
Where: Dana Centre, located at 165 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, London, SW7 5HE, England
020 7942 4040 (tel)
Why it's fun: Allows users to experience history through the eyes (and their physical senses) of those who lived it.
More info: http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART20518.html
Posted by ashley at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)
Public space, local
What: REACTRIX interactive game pad where the image changes as users walk over the display. A projector is placed above, which controls the visuals seen below.
Where: Burbank AMC 16 Theater, Toys R Us, Tabu at the MGM Grand Motel, and Niketown in Chicago
Why it's fun: Reactrix is a darling device that drives users crazy. While it is largely used in an advertising capacity, it has potential to be used to explore stronger narrative and informational forms of content. As far as movie theaters, I can certainly see the potential for showing trailers, movie trivia and games.
More info: www.reactrix.com
Posted by ashley at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)