Naturaleza Muerta: 2010

Patch made in Max MSP / Jitter that detects hand movements (in front of the webcam, in this case, embedded in my laptop). Depending on your position, edits four videos in real time, applying different effects. The videos used are not edited, nor have any type of effects previously applied.

(In this video first one sees how it works, then, a video-output example, with no further editing, all done in real time)

Patch hecho en Max msp/jitter que detecta el movimiento de la mano (frente a la webcam, en este caso, incorporada en mi laptop) y dependiendo de su posicion, edita 4 videos en tiempo real, aplicandoles diferentes efectos. Los videos utilizados en este caso no han sido editados, ni contienen efectos previos.

(Primero se ve como funciona, y despues un ejemplo del output, un video editado en tiempo real, sin posterior edicion)

Pieza presentada en Estocolmo, Suecia, en Octubre del 2009 / Presented in Stockholm, Sweden, in October 2009.

La persona pone el pie en el tapete situado al pie de la obra, mientras observa imagenes en directo de mi jardin en Lima, Peru, envia sonidos en tiempo real permitiendole la posibilidad de interactuar... / The person steps on the mat at the foot of the work, while watching live pictures of my garden in Lima, Peru, sending sounds in real time allowing the the possibility to interact...

Sin embargo, todo este proceso termina cuando la conexion "se cae," apareciendo un mensaje, "System down", que recalca que, de hecho, es muy facil que nuestro sistema, basado en las telecomunicaciones (internet, etc.) caiga ya sea porque no haya conexion, o porque nos hayamos quedado sin electricidad, por una falla tecnica o del equipo, etc. / However, this process ends when the connection "falls," popping a message, "System Down", which stresses that, in fact, is very easy for our system based on telecommunications (Internet, etc..) to fail and sbeing this because there is no connection, or that we have been left without electricity, by a technical error or non-working equipment, etc...

(dis)connected

“Disconnect, unplug…

and bring the system down”.

The concept of “Connection” is embedded in the notion of network, being this symbolic (“we are all connected by love”) or taken as the actual configuration of a communicative system (natural or artificial). And a communicative system, in these days of unfolded linguistic structures, is equivalent to reality.

I wonder:

What would happen if, one day and all of a sudden, we get disconnected?

Will that be death?

****

“We artists express emotions.

We artists tell our private stories in every piece.”

-Do you want to see?

Well then, go ahead:

Here you have my garden to watch.

In the time of reality shows, of stars exposing their private life with no restraint, and of common people that just happened to be caught by a camera on the right moment to become “stars” - one wonders who wants fantasy anymore, when reality surpasses fiction - it is assumed that we are all potentially famous if we have a connection, a camera and a potential viewing audience (nowadays easy to find due to Internet).

…Just get the voyeurs identified or morbidly curious towards the “show”, and you have a hit!

Virtual Bonds 1.0 is an example of the software used for this display of virtual-exhibitionism.

The role of interpretation levels within the piece

Level 1- On the surface, the main thing being discussed by this networking experience is the ability of spying “from the distance”, of being a witness without being there… That factor so appreciated in our current culture - not only the “real-time/live” attribute, but the voyeur one.

Why do we want to know about other people’s lives?

Is this a way of knowing us better, or is just entertainment?

Level 2 - We could even talk of a “being connected” imperative; online or by phone, in a passive way (watching tv) or in an active way (posting in a forum on Internet or chatting). To be connected means to be a witness, to know.

Even if you are not able to be there, in the same place where the event happened.

Voyeurs get connected to watch others private acts.

Exhibitionists get connected to expose themselves.

We get connected to fulfill a need.

The piece consists of a tv/monitor, and a computer (with keyboard and monitor included).

Through the setting of a remote network by TCP protocol, a webcam situated in Lima, Peru, will send images from a garden (my house) to a gallery in Stockholm, Sweden.

People in the gallery will be able to send sounds back to the garden in Lima, maybe altering the normal course of things (if someone or something listens to it).

Completely immersed in the images, they won’t expect the sudden loss of connectivity.

When the connection is lost, a big text fills the entire screen with the words:

SYSTEM DOWN

My choosing of electronic devices for this project is evident: there is no better way of approaching the subject of “connection” in the telecommunication era we currently live in; to discuss the tools by the use of those tools themselves turns to be a meta-analysis.

But these technologies are fragile.

And this fragility is what I principally want to point out in this work.