In 2006 I curated an exhibition by PLAN B, the collaborative team of Marc
Fournel and Thomas Ouellette Fredericks at InterAccess in Toronto. One work
in the exhibition, FLOCK, created an immersive experience for the viewer
that was easily sustained for a number of reasons. Interaction consisted of
the the participants picking up one of three furry, brightly coloured balls
and then moving around the space. On doing so two types of interaction would
occur: 1. a soundtrack, based on pre-recorded, and accumulative, sounds
would begin to track and follow the interactor, 2: a series of animated
"boids" would follow the participant, projected from a mirror array, but
sensitive to the position of the ball, ie. viewer, if they continued to hold
it. The nature of the movement of the boids was akin to imprinting by young
animals (ducks), as iterated by Lorenz. The compelling nature of the
following objects, as well as the sound, and the ease of the interface, led
to sustained and easy interaction. The experience created a strange sense of
intimacy as the interface became a material agent facilitating numerous
relationships with the animated objects that followed and responded to the
movement of the participant.
Here is a link to the IA site that describes FLOCK:
http://www.interaccess.org/exhibitions/index.php?id=58
Best,
Caroline
>From: Andy Polaine <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Andy Polaine <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: [NEW-MEDIA-CURATING] Exchange Pieces
>Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:52:05 +0200
>
>I collaborated with Lizzie's research (along with the others from the
>Creativity and Cognition Studios at UTS, who I know read this list) with
>my Time Sketches work in Beta_Space.
>
>I've been late lurking on this conversation as I've been very busy this
>week, but it's an issue and area close to my heart. For me, at least,
>sustained audience interaction and engagement, where the interactive
>experience *is* the work is central to everything. The visual, physical or
>auditory elements of the work are usually peripheral to that interactive
>experience - artefacts of it, if you like.
>
>I come from more of an interaction design/arts crossover background, so
>mainly interested in hooking people out of their everyday actions and
>monotony in order for them to enter a more playful state. This might just
>be for a couple of minutes, but that's quite a long time compared to how
>long most people (most people not on this list, probably) spend in front
>of a Picasso.
>
>The balance of action > reaction > interaction is still something that's
>very hard to pin down or write rules about (that's my PhD topic,
>incidentally). Mostly it's trial and error and some of Lizzie's work has
>been about taking some of the prototyping rigor that interaction designers
>use and applying it to the development of interactive artworks (I'm sure
>she'll correct me if I've misrepresented her here). It's perhaps a
>different mentality - when someone doesn't 'get' the work, I see it as my
>fault not theirs.
>
>I try very hard to try and entice and seduce them into interacting and
>camera-based interactives are so popular, I think, because they're both
>intuitive in terms of the interface (the body) and alluringly
>narcissistic, both of which engage 'passers by' quickly and then keep
>people interacting. Some kind of instant response and feedback is useful
>too.
>
>UVA's piece, Hereafter, is a simple but really well-executed example of
>this in action: http://www.uva.co.uk/archives/57
>
>Best,
>
>Andy
>
>::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
>Andy Polaine
>
>http://playpen.polaine.com
>http://www.omnium.net.au
>http://www.antirom.com
>::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
>
>On 10/10/2007, at 2:58 PM, Mike Stubbs wrote:
>
>>Curator/researcher Lizzie Mullers work with artist George Khut amongst
>>other artists, exemplifies a rigor in analysing feedback and interaction
>>and if she is listening might contribute
>>
>>A fair bit of work around Keith Armstrongs work, Intimate Transactions
>>also made a serious investigation into how the work was relating and
>>those findings were quickly assimilated into the development of interface
>>and presentation through a quick series of iterations - Keith has
>>recontly publsihed a book of the same name capturing the views of a
>>number of contributors to the process and makes good reading in relation
>>to the current thread
>>
>>best wishes
>>
>>Mike Stubbs
>>Director
>>FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology)
>>
>>
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