Monday, October 5, 2009

Adam, Don, Sarah, Fiorela group

We are changing our project slightly. We working on the same concept but focusing attention on interactions between the viewer and an artwork. We are presenting a "painting" that consists of a framed piece of velvet. Underneath the material will be several flex sensors in foam that will react to pressure and produce a sound with a use of an Arduino and waveshield. We are recording feminine sounds that match the seductiveness of the material.

Here is a sample of the sounds that may be produced through interaction with the piece.

8 comments:

  1. I really like how this is turning out, however I'm curious about how taut the velvet will be over the frame. And I feel that while the material (in the context it will be placed) will invite touching, but how hard will a person be able to touch or know to touch without affecting the structure?

    I think the sounds will be a huge key to this project, though I'm curious if you will self-record these sounds or get them from video like a movie or porno. I think it would be more comedic if it was self-recorded, which if you did that I'd be interested in hearing a male voice more than a female to play up that aspect of it. If you really want to push for the seductive aspect however I would suggest using a pre-recorded sound so that we have no attachment or baggage to add to the voice (because it would be recognizable).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmm... I'm not sure if this version would be more user-friendly, since a painting in a gallery space is usually not to be touched. You'll have to input something that communicates that it's okay to touch. Also, I'm kinda not getting the idea behind the piece... like, how an art piece can lure you in, seduce you? If that's the case, will there be an image on the velvet of a great famous painting? Or of a particularly alluring recumbent nude?

    ReplyDelete
  3. What exactly is a waveshield? This project idea seems different from the idea you guys proposed at the start of the project, but I like where it is headed, especially now where the focus is on the material and how it feels in both a kinetic-sensory way and an auditory way. I take it that the screen is now going to be gone, which emphasizes the touch/sound relationship.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I see the connection between the red velvet and seductiveness nature of the piece with feminine sounds, but the thing that I'm concerned with is how is the audience going to know to touch the piece? Will you have gloves with it as an indicator? There definitely needs to be something that lets the viewer know touching is ok and necessary.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is sounding cool. Beware the whole seductiveness thing, though, I think it's something you'll have to tread lightly upon... Consider what exactly is the purpose of "feminine sounds", and how it could possibly isolate female viewers. You want something that will be inviting to everyone, not just a certain group of people (males?). Still, I think this could turn out great, and a painting that is meant to be touched sounds awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like the direction of the new project. It seems your statement is on art interaction through the associations with a specific material. I would feel uneasy about touching a blank hanging picture in a gallery space. Viewer interaction could be encouraged through added imagery on the painting such as instruction on how to appreciate art. The connection between a velvet surface and a feminine voice could be limiting your overall statement, interactive art focuses on the boundaries of art viewership. Almost any absurd cause and effect action upon touching an art object would cause me to consider art interaction.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This idea sounds a lot more solid. I think the interaction presented makes a lot more sense. This interaction between humans and computers also brings up another topic... cybersex and pornography. These are both computer/human sexual interactions. Yet those are only physical on the human side. I think its an interesting twist to discover how people react to a physical thing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The feminine sounds are definitely sexual. I think its interesting. Maybe if you could even push that. Nothing blatant, but if you could make touching this thing an incredibly sensual, decadent experience.
    Its bizarre what people will do to play out their sexual fantasies, what with blow-up dolls and cybersex. Rather than using the computer to access pornography or contact other people, the sexuality comes from the computer itself. Pretty interesting.

    ReplyDelete