The whole “interactive arts” scene can be restrictive sometimes, as materials, equipment or even technical knowledge can be very hard to acquire. Many pieces in the field are pioneering a technique as they are quite often experimental.

One of the problematics that artists can face is that of implementing interaction. The artist must make a choice on how to multiply the components, the programming, the interface and the response. These choices must transcend electricity and the technical aspect of the piece in order to make the intention of the artist show through. Obviously, this does not work at its best at all occasions.

Interstices - Amplified Intimacies, the exposition at the Oboro art gallery has some pieces that went through this process of choosing. The question that must be asked is the following : How effective are the modes of interaction at supporting / amplifying / augmenting the other components of the work.

I will not name the particular pieces of the exhibition but will describe them.

The “bar” piece, with illuminated drinks completely fails to amaze. The modes of interaction as it were are apparently too complex for anyone to operate at any time. 10 / 10 for effort, minus several million for good thinking. This piece should be advertised as a performance because of its temporal nature. It did not capture anyones’ attention by not being there. If a piece is in an art gallery, it should be in it. But enough on the ranting and raving.

The “International Dance Party” starts off good with a catchy name. The piece if far off in a small little room, rigged with electronics. As soon as one starts walking around the machine to look at it, it fires up. This is a type of interaction I truly admire for it’s ubiquitousness. While remaining direct interactivity, I would call this sub-type : “Do what you normally do, I’ll just stand here and watch. Then I’ll react to what you are doing.”. This type of interaction completely brings positive attention to the piece as viewers are intrigued more and more trying to find out how and why the machine is capturing their movement, sound position, heat, etc. Furthermore this type of interaction is accessible. While becoming less and less of a problem as society becomes increasingly technology literate, it is comforting to know that the older generations can still have access to newer art. Great success for this piece on augmenting its components.

The “Cell Phone” piece outside the gallery takes the cake. First of all, it is open to the public, like the streets are. It just IS there. It may not be accessible to all, but in another sense, it is accessible to everywhere. It is not location dependant. Of course, to see the result, you must be in front of the TV screen, but the idea is there. The event can be triggered from anywhere a cell phone can be used. This type of “hacking” interactivity definitely turns the tables. The components are no longer only the artist’s components. This one for example uses any cell phone to be activated.

So it all depends on how far you intend to go with the “components”. Components can range from non-existing to “it has been in your pocket the whole day”.

The end of print.

What to say about this piece of lit. Hard to read, but amazingly revealing on the lifespan of an artform/artmedia.

it shows how art starts as a medium, becomes free, then beCOMEs a medium of the corporate machine afterwards. I did’t catch some parts. That’s ok.

Precedents & Narrative

The second reading capitalises on movie introduction sequences. Quite profound on covering a long span of time. Many of the plaques were non-readable due to the photocopy, but some are very advanced title animations considering the period of time when they were originally created.

My favorite for having seen it : ALIEN

About the fragmentation of everything. Modernism. The first part of the 1st text describing the creative methods of Mallarmé is just great in the extent of the creativity. All the thought that went into the creative process is original ,well thought out and deep, the second part of the text saddens me.

The second part of the text is about the modernist craze to simplify and deconstruct everything. On one hand, some believe that universal truths can be uncovered by a fragmentation so abusive of art that only its quintessential components remain. That accross cultures, languages, and hell…worlds, these concepts could be grasped, as they constituted the basic building blocs of the chosen art piece.

The second attempt of modernism was to build an art piece that was not representative, that was not a copy of something else. But instead to produce something that was. Something that was a new concept, a new idea, that had meaning regardless of exterior influence. Which in all practical terms is impossible. In terms of material, it is we as humans are limited to the building blocks available on this planet and maleable by humans, as it were.

The third category is for anyone else. Anyone who attemps to actually and truly defy the rules fits into this box.

Wow. Really? So now we understand art? All a piece of rubbish. I refuse to think that art has been so neatly stacked into boxes for philosophers to understand.

Remain creative my friends.

_{Exercise done with Faiq Hussein and Matthieu Tremblay}

Here are some fonts my team and I found on the Internet and in our troubled youths.

Click the image for a bigger view and in-depth description.

_{Exercise done with Faiq Hussein and Matthieu Tremblay}

Prior to doing any work at all, I always do the readings.
Why? Helps me get better focus of what I might need to do. Also is good for inspiration.

I’m a programmer at heart. All of the very technical information related to fonts make me feel right at home.
Honestly.
The thing that stresses me is blending the two. Will any of the two get neglected in the process?

Other than that faraway issue, I believe that this course will be a wild ride. I had no idea what it was about before Mr. Lewis told the class. I like to keep things spiced up a bit.

The next 3 posts will include all the instances of the letterform I have chosen, its massacre as well as the three typographic treatments brought to a poem.

Until then, out.