Visit to The Modern Institute, Glasgow
Simon Starling, A-A', B-B'; Modern Institute
Analysis:
Publications exploring interaction through several different mediums
A
B.
C.
Artist research (Thomas Hirschhorn) into 'interactive' artwork
1st day of project
Given quote to work with: 'All cats are grey in the dark'
Initial associations:
- Collective
- PROVERBS (short, familiar phrases)
- Familiar language
- Experimenting with the familiar and well-used language
- Individual qualities that become one through different circumstances
- GREY
- Active participants? Rather than passive observer
- Familiar, unison
- Choice of location
- Coding, getting proverbs to turn into symbols - turning the computer into the 'mouth' and getting people to print off codes
- Language as common/comfort
- Establishing a way to create mistakes in coding
Presentation notes......
- Charles Eames's assertion that design is a form of action
- Bill Moggridge
- Siabatou Saanneh - Gambian woman (Oglivy & Mather Paris - Water for Africa
- Tania Bruguera
- Snarkitecture (The Beach) 2008
- Grey London - Volvo Life Paint
- Antony Gormley, Field (participants are physically making something)
- Rosapark - Thalys train Network promotion
- Franz Erhard Walther - The Body Decides
- Oglivy Germany - Coca Cola
- Daniel Eatock, Big Brother 5 promotion
- Roman Ondak, Measuring the universe
- Jake and Dinos Chapman, '£20 notes'
INITIAL IDEAS:
- Using phone app to create codes for 'proverbs' online, interactive element is to
- Weardrobe, getting people to dress the mannequin - filmed
- Built in environments, showing anomalies in data aka get a group of people to be asked the same questions and see how they respond e.g give me a tour of your phone - this is than later illustrated. Questioning the built environment.
- Desensitized by media - get a group of people to click each time they see a negative connotation during a 5 min news report, find the mean results.
- Using T&C's to show how we agree to the same document yet give variety of data. QR Generator shop
SHOP THAT SELLS 'REHUMANISING' PRODUCTS
- QR CODE
- FINGERPRINTS
- FACIAL RECOGNITION
- BARCODES
- FOOT PRINTS
- HAIR STRANDS
*****Communication, language, interaction
Off-site photo documentary of possible 'sites'
Lawrence Lek talk at the Courtauld Institute
I attended a talk given by the artist Lawrence Lek at the Courtauld Institute which was greatly informative and appropriate to the current project I am undertaking discussing the commodity of data using 'virtual' means to do so. Prior to the talk, I experienced the artists work at Sadie Coles HQ and found it compelling the artist's thought-process behind the audience's interaction with the work. During the talk, Lek discussed extensively the reasons behind his keen interest in a type of visualization of 'post-industrial' China with his understanding of how technology in the future could be seen as a 'phase in aesthetics'. Appropriately to this interactive project, Lek is conscious of creating 'site-specific' simulations which can be achieved through dialogue and communication as well as visually. Adding to this, I found it relevant to Lek's perspective of the 'destructive artist' which links my prior knowledge of Anselm Kiefer and Chul-Han's critique of the philosophy of Foucault.
Further notes:
- Artist interested in embodying the player - Virtual world
- VIDEO GAME ENGINES used to create a film trailer and a video game (1st person)
- 'Skyline' utopian tube line - 25 art spaces in London are connected, including DIY spaces
- Extracting reality with a virtual world
- 1st voice over is from a sequel (talking about a third-place) asking about the weather in Singapore
- Referring to a third space within a primary medium
- 'Stalker' (film) talking about the meaning of music
- 4-dimensional collage (personal and referencing other space)
- Site-specific Simulations
- What is the role of utopia in these situations
- The deeply psychological aspect of simulation and technology
- 'Berlin Mirror'
- First fictional artist
- Dan Graham (creating fictional artist, predicting what the artist would see if he was born now)
- Anselm Kiefer
- Aesthetic of destruction
- Shiva - God of creation and destruction
- Self-aware of using technology and virtual reality
- Projecting into the future where technology is part of a phase of aesthetics
- 'UK 2016'
- Project located in Dalston
- Projected Brexit
- Simulation of dialogue and communication which can be achieved
- A memory of relationship and loss in the context of Dalston
- Euphoria vs. Dysphoria (what you decide to remember about a relationship)
- Use of Casper David Frederich (viewing beyond the shoulder)
CGI Film in 2065 - on eve of Malaysian liberation GEO MOUNCE
- Artistic self-discovery
- Position artists point of view of what AI is, super-human yet created by a start-up
- AI - Intelligence but lack of history
- 'Sign of futurism' (essay on Chinese industrial development and nationalism portrayed in the media which Lek compared to the image presented of AI).
- Chinese industrialisation - political labour and conservative side
- The xenophobia of Chinese labour (workers + robots are portrayed the same) - dehumanised
- Post-truth world (manifesto as a political tool is no longer trusted)
- Conspiracy theory is that China is an AI state (fully-embodies negative character)
- 2065, reflects on future of essay
- How artists work are put through Youtube AI system of categorisation, through a systematic manner
- Art and fiction (passive stance)
- 'Computer, copying, studying, addiction, labour'
- In what sense is the artist an AI, take a position which is incredibly natural rather than being critical (why Lek uses computing due to his background which he sees as authentic).
- Globalised neo-liberalism
- What counts as authentic? Idea material/physical reality has a primary point over virtual reality (wrong)
- What counts as genuine or authentic - Lek has been focusing more recently on how he installs his work.
- E.G Uses 'marketing' now to interact with art and white cube in a different manner.
- Influencer culture - GIOMANCER AI songwriter - themes of culture under the threat of automation
Lawrence Lek's work displayed at the Somerset House show, '24/7'
'We combine leadership in research, analysis and human development as a foundation for scientific breakthroughs.'
Lawrence Lek's work included at the Somerset House exhibition additionally explores influence culture and reflects the writings of Byung Chul Han (who talks extensively about the impact of Psychopolitics and the commonly held understanding of neoliberalism).
Research into using QR codes
Research into using iPhone statistic
Shoot day
NORM, Designers in collaboration with Simon Starling
***Initial research to support project
Text
FINAL CONCEPT
FINAL IDEA……..
Concept: To create an interactive piece exploring user generating through 'personalised prints' (QR, finger prints, foot prints, hair strands, facial recognition). Purpose is to highlight people's data sharing community through printing out data, scaling up images and giving out our data freely.
- Creating work that questions authorship and individuality
Environment: Wherever we want to document giving out hand-outs
Resources:
- A3 hand-outs
- Cardboard sign?
Medium:
- Photography + props
OTHER POSSIBLE IDEAS:
- Putting hand outs in daily newspaper (documenting newspaper stand)
- Airdrop to people's phones
What is the audience achieving/gaining?
- Full A3 double sided document (possibly structure of newspaper) which includes all data collected by us in 2-3 days (still including images of QR + finger prints.
- Factual hand-out
- 'Get your daily report of data here'
Documentation:
- One handing out leaflets + one photographing public's reaction
ACTIONS NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.....
- Design hand out, which entails sharing all data + screenshots from screen-time (share all info. Together) + take screenshots
- Create explanation sheet (where we are from, what our project is about etc.) A2
- Get materials for sign + create
Timeline: Document interaction on Thursday + use weekend to finish supporting material in sketchbook and workflow (including contextual practice).
Further visual research
Further visual research
Exploring interactive artwork in London
180 Strand gallery:
Overall, I found the visit disappointing, the structure of each room was quite messy and the layout didn't support the work. Although the audio was created with a complex process I found it lacking in its attempt to be interactive; however, I did appreciate the grouping of members of the public coming together and sharing the experience.
Nan Goldin, Marian Goodman
**Images of Nan Goldin's 'P.A.I.N' protest set-up at the entrance of the Marian Goodman Gallery, London
Before attending Nan Goldin's show at the Marian Goodman Gallery, I was aware of the artist's established protest group that had most recently protested at the Guggenheim Museum, V&A and the Sackler Gallery (part of the Serpentine Gallery). The group have extensively protested against the Sackler families tie with the painkiller Oxycontin (I recently listened to a podcast explaining the deep-rooted issue of prescribed painkillers in America, which a list of interesting books exploring the issues was discussed), Goldin's protest group (P.A.I.N) are protesting against the insane number of painkiller addiction numbers disproportionately tied to Oxycontin (currently the opioid crisis has killed over 400,000 Americans). The photographer used her solo show at Marian Goodman to install a 'P.A.I.N' (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now) stall to make a stand against the Sackler family whose commissions greatly affect contemporary art institutions.
***Stills from P.A.I.N protesting at the Guggenheim Museum
Visit to Somerset House, '24/7' show
This in-depth exhibition at the Somerset House was conceptually an interesting idea, however, I generally found the curation of the show lacking in terms of its want to hold onto several different viewpoints of our 'online citizenship'. Prior to the show, I was familiar with Pierre Hughe's work as well as the artist Nastja Sade Ronkko's commissioned work by Somerset House titled, 'Six months without the internet' (included above). In particular whilst browsing Ronkko's studio commission I found the events that the artist ran during this period of time particularly interesting ranging from discussions of the feminist internet to thee environmental impacts of technology. Whilst the concept of this performance-like piece is timely and unique I found the material collected from the artists experience quite bland. Thus, I found Roman Signer's work 'Bett' (1996) thoroughly interesting due to its re-engagement with the process of film and generally the 'motif' meaning of such a setup like a single bed. For the duration of Signer's film, an electric helicopter spins around, hovering above the sleeping artist in the single bed; the artist referred to the work as "action sculptures".
Books collected from the exhibition (future-book list)
a. 'The People vs Tech, How the internet is killing democracy (and how we save it)', Jamie Bartlett
b. 'How to fix the future, Staying Human in the Digital Age', Andrew Keen
c. 'How will Capitalism End', Wolfgang Streeck
d. 'Machines like me', Ian McEwan
Links.....
https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/blog/six-months-without-internet
http://galerie-iff.com/albums/passespast/content/roman-signer-bett-april-may-2002/
Tutorial feedback
- Tutorial took place day after initiating ideas for an 'interactive communication'
- Collective decision to go with the concept of picking out specifically 'PROVERBS' = commonly understood language.
- After discussion/explanation tutor found idea too abstract, more importantly no real interactive element of concept.
- Concept to slot A3 newspaper into magazines OR give out information in a 'newspaper' format but this finalised idea was not interactive enough, again, viewer is passive rather than being part of the communication.
- Resulted in developing an idea that incorporated public more, decided to go back to original idea of creating a 'pop-up' shop or physically becoming the 'advertisement' through acting as an ice cream seller or using sandwich boards to engage with public further.
- Newspaper idea is too dense, although an interesting way to communicate (including idea of slotting leaflet into morning papers) however most public will not see this as instant enough.
- Therefore, decided to go with the sandwich board idea + use a QR code to communicate in a simple and effective manner.
Research in response to tutorial feedback
***Scans of the publication, 'Advertising is dead, long live advertising', Thames & Hudson
Research into 'sandwich boards' and Jeremy Deller
Contextual Practice session
ARTISTS:
1. Anna Mikkola, Sensoring Sensors, 2017
2. Neil Beloufa at Venice Biennale, 2019
3. Martine Syms, EVERYTHINGIVEEVERWANTEDTOKNOW.COM, 2007
4. Olia Lialina, My Boyfriend Came Back From the War, 1996
QUESTIONS:
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The designers / artists they were particularly interested in from the presentation
-
What did you discover about the potential for the use of interaction in design?
-
The visualisation and pitch task – how did this process help to distil and refine your plan forThursday? Did it highlight any areas that you need to consider/reconsider in time for tomorrow?
Fonts and final QR for sandwich boards
QR WEBSITE: VIEW NOW DATA SALE
Edits from shoot
Outcomes from project crit
Bibliography
Websites:
http://jakeanddinoschapman.com/tag/bank-note/4136-2/
https://eatock.com/2001/big-brother-2/
https://eatock.com/2003/big-brother-4/
https://eatock.com/2007/alarm-dance-3/
Books:
'Thomas Hirschhorn, Katalogue'
'Advertising is dead, long live advertising!' Thames & Hudson