Notes from a session held at the Luminous Green Hands-On Workshop, 4th of May 2007

Pix

initial focus was on the challenge of presenting at the symposium without using a data projector.

some suggestions:

• theun and lina had considered looking through the presenters power point files and accompanying the presentations with large scale live drawing. this is similar to lecturing with a blackboard, a disappearing art, only with assistance
• magic lantern: candle light projection.
• theun recalled a comment from vasu about people being most creative when their back is against the wall. so we should try and present in the woods, to discover alternative methods of storytelling.
• cocky described the mesmerising performances of story tellers in india.
• shadow puppetry
• all of these methods need more preparation, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. many presentations are over-recycled.
• shifting to an installation context:
  • low temperature shape-memory-alloys which react at low temperatures (ie. body heat) and can be driven directly by the environment.
  • wind driven sound installations
  • rachel mentioned that she views the electrical versions of her installations as prototypes which would hopefully be ultimately realised using new materials which have the properties which are currently induced by electricity.
  • theun mentioned the kind of elaborate crafts which have traditionally been exchanged between dutch royalty. such as a kettle in the form of a metal tree with included birds, which would sing when heated.
  • similarly, singing statues in egypt.
  • bart mentioned ceramic structures built by mayan cultures which also make sound using wind.
• what is media? a bit of a discussion about the interpretation of media in the title of this discussion. some people suggesting that in “new media” the electrical component is fundamental. after some discussion i realised i did not mean “new media” in terms of “the new forms of media made possible by computers” but in terms of the experimental search for new “mediums”. it is unfortunate that media has become synonymous with content (however a lunch box is not a banana).
• what does electricity add?
  • systems which are complex but reliable.
  • speed
• non artistic realm (to again, attempt to explain the point of the discussion):
  • elevators, given increasing problems (in the developed world) of obesity and related health issues.
• possible steps:
  • chemistry and biology
  • cooking wo/electricity