Installation 6. Imagine yourself

Installation 6. Imagine yourself

I recently saw a film (I cannot remember the name), where there was a scene with some vintage TVs displaying the message "Imagine yourself". I think this type of message it would work great as a conclusion of the whole installation, as after different "games" about belief, the user have the time to reflect on his-self.

The idea is to extrapolate the mystic concept about a superior being (god) taking it to the worldly "capacity" of auto-confidence (believe! but in yourself).

The idea is to reproduce in some way the "installation" on the film and to make different sentences using 3 TVs. On each one a part of the sentence, in a way that changing a part of the sentence changes the message itself.

Examples:

TV1. Imagine / TV2. "no text" / TV3. yourself

TV1. Imagine / TV2. you are / TV3. yourself

TV1. Imagine / TV2. Jesus is / TV3. yourself

TV1. Imagine / TV2. you / TV3. believe

TV1. Imagine / TV2. your / TV3. belief

TV1. Believe / TV2. what / TV3. you think

TV1. Believe / TV2. in / TV3. someone

TV1. Someone / TV2. believes / TV3. in you

TV1. Believe / TV2. in / TV3. YOU

Installation 5. Directional speakes

Installation 4. Directional speakers

I found these directional speakers that are able to "send" a sound to an specific location.

The sound will be listen only in this precise area; if the user moves 30 cm on the side it wont listen the "message".

The idea is to create a gag, with god like a radio presenter that ask the user why he believes in him as until this moment he never spoke with him; questioning user's possible belief in something that cannot understand or didn't have any proof of it existence.

Link speakers:

http://www.holosonics.com/?g&gclid=CNuBusyd9p0CFZoU4wodezW4pw

Installation 4. Freud

Installation 4. Freud

A catholic cross (like Jesus one) with a flat screen on the position of the head with a video of Freud talking about his theory on psychoanalysis.

The users will be able to listen his message by different headphones, creating a sensation of religious community.

Installation 3. Delphic Oracle

Installation 3. Delphic Oracle - Dionysus rules

The Delphic Oracle (ancient greece) was suppose to be a media to divulge the message of the pagan god Apollo to the greek citizen.

It was manage by a Pithya (kind of woman orator) under the "management" of Apollo.

There are different mythology stories explaining that when Apollo (representing order, reason, etc) was on "holidays", Dionysus/Baccus (representing ecstasy and disorder - and his brother) used to take over the Oracle and control it during his absence.

I like the idea to make an installation about the Delphic Oracle during it precise moment when Dionysus rules it, as I believe could be interesting as a contradiction.

My idea is to make a metal cylinder (high as a person) with a screen, a bell shaped on-off switch and a system of payment coins.

A big 25 cm diameter magnifying glass (I got one from a boat) will allow the user to look inside the cylinder (look at the video content on the screen).

1. User look inside an see (in background) Dionysus fornicating with the Pithya (doesn't need to be very explicit).

2. To appeal the attention of the Pithya (for obtain a prophecy) the user will need to ring the bell.

3. when the user rings they stop (as you catch them) and Dionysus is gonna send the Pithya to work. She arrives (like a close up), arrange his clothes and hair and ask you for money to give god's prophecy.

4. The user needs to put a coin (plastic laser cut coins) on the coins system... depending the type of prophecy, different amount.

It is like a "game" between pagan religions and actual fortuneteller.

Installation 2. God's light

Installation 2. God's light

This is a simple idea that combine a light, audio and some church furniture.

Making a comparison between the confession moment in a church and a police interrogation, display a "blinding" light that works in tune with a voice.

A religious bench (like the one is inside the confession "room") trigger the installation when the user is sitting on it.

The speech will guide the user to confess his sins.

It will be interesting to me to use a sound detection sensor, to be able to understand if the user answer the questions of god. As well could be possible to map god's interrogation with the decibels of the user answer, forcing him to shout in some moment his answer to have god's approval (like, "YES, I AM A SINNER!!).

In this way, the user helps to involve and attract the rest of the people in the show to this belief circus.

Installation 1. Speaker's Corner Interactive Quiz

Installation 1. Speaker's Corner interactive Quiz

Las weeks I have been visiting the "Speaker's Corner" at High Park (London) where every sunday several orators do open speeches about whatever they want. I made some video and as you can imagine, the content could generate some controversy but it is quite useful to show common points.

I am thinking to "shoot" more orators, and to finally select a group of four that "represent" four different belief: a catholic (or christian), a muslim, a jew and one no religious.

I want to make a look-like arcade old game where these 4 selected orators are displayed in 4 screens.

It will work like a quiz game.

1. you see the faces of the orators in different screens (A - B - C - D)

2. a sentence made for one of them is displayed on screen (probably using a LCD text screen).

3. the user needs to guess which of them said this sentence.

4. if the user is right, it will be display on the screen of the right orator the video with this section speech.

5. a second sentence is displayed

6...

At the end of all the sentences-questions (between 10 and 20) there is reported how many answers were right and how many wrong; depending of the % of correct answer you will receive a tip of god.

At the same time I was thinking could be useful to make the user say the opinion about the sentence, choosing between:

a. I agree

b. I don't agree

c. I don't care

d. bullshit

The user could choose at the beginning of the game his actual belief. In this way you could make during the report (at the end of the game) an approximation (right or wrong) of his real belief (Christian, Jew, Muslim, Atheist, agnostic...) to be contrasted with what he said at the beginning.

Interactive experience

Using diagrams sketch out the type of interactive design 'experience' you want to make for the audience. Identify, space, scale, methods for interaction, feedback processes, media display, physical objects, sound, etc.

The idea of this project is to challenge people's belief and "forcing" the user to reflect about it.

Doesn't matter if you follow a religion, believe in luck/coincidences or you don't believe at all; the aim of the project is to make people THINK without accepting preconceived concepts and push them to consider other possibilities.

I decided that the best way to play with this idea is to make an installation that is, per se, a group of different interactive works.

From a conceptual point of view different works will help me to emphasize the idea of different beliefs, but at the same time the result is that in some way all are the same: a belief is a belief, doesn't matter in what.

For a personal-didactic side, making several installation would allow me to use different technologies, solutions and types of content without compromise the message. I mean, I believe it is easy to loose the objective of a project/ concept itself, if you are trying to include in a single work different technologies.

Technologies

Identify the software, technologies you "think" would be right for your project. Explain how you made your choices.

I set out the "unit 3" project as a group of different installations on the same subject: relationship between people and belief.

Different installations > different technical solutions.

SOFTWARE

S.1 -Which?

MAX / msp / jitter > control sound and video

Besides Max is a standard for audio and video installations, personal testing and knowledge leads me to know that is a solid and versatile solution for my needs.

Max works easily with arduino and as it is not writing code base provide me some independence both on prototyping and resolution.

S.2 -Which?

Arduino software

Necessary to send/receive data from the inputs/output between an arduino board and MAX.

S.3 -Which? I will use some different editing softwares for video, audio and image to create content base.

At the moment, I believe my needs are cover with these choices but I could consider use Flash, Processing or a database application to "save" user behaviors.

HARDWARE

H.1 -Which?

Arduino is a base for me as I feel comfortable using it to connect virtual and real.

Depending on the final resolution I will need to choose between different peripheral solutions.

For example, to control light I am considering to use DMX (leds and sequencing) or use a Velleman K8064 dimmer that allows me to use incandescent bulbs drive by arduino.

H.2 -Which?

As I my idea is to create a series of installations, my technical goal is to be the more independent possible from using different macs.

A stand alone arduino with a sound shield could be an easy and cheap solution.

A second option to drive this sound base installations is to use an audio interface (usb or firewire) with multiple outputs and drive all the sounds from an unique mac. In this case I will consider to use an unique arduino mega (more inputs and outputs than the 2009 model).

I believe I will need to adapt myself to these two possibilities.

H.3 -Which?

Mac mini as it is enough powerful to use the software needed, reduce size and relative good price.

H.4 -Which?

I am considering to use Sound directional speakers as a base of one of the installations to create a "voice of god" sensation.

H.5 -Which?

I will need to find a solution to displays several video signal (outputs) or use more than one computer as I want to use video image in two installations.