Digital Arts and New Media M.F.A. Project Proposal

12/11/2007

RELATED WORKS:

BIPED (1999): Merce Cunningham and Riverbed Company - Paul Kaiser and Shelley Eshkar (Dixon, 187)

BIPED is a collaborative work by choreographer Merce Cunningham and visual artists Paul Keiser and Shelley Eshkar. A technique of video motion capture was developed for the performance and projected during the performance as a digital shadow of the dancers on stage. <www 3>

e_Motion also uses motion capture technology and intermixes live performers with visual renditions of the data collected. The main difference is the sense of immediacy, for the projections are created in real time by the participants/performers' actions.

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Amy Franceschini - Fingerprint Maze (2004)

Fingerprint Maze is "An installation that lets one wander through a 3D labyrinth made from one's own scanned fingerprint. The fingerprint scanner uses a prism, a macro photographic lens, and a webcam to capture live video of one's print. A Processing application (with some custom Java bits), running in presentation mode, captures live video from the scanner and saves a convolved image to another computer running the Fingerprint Maze game. An OS X application, written in C++ and OpenGL, picks up fingerprint files and renders them in 3D. For each dark pixel it finds in the image, it places a translucent cube in virtual space. The labyrinth can be navigated from above, or explored at ground level." <www 2>

The main aspect shared by both Fingerprint Maze and e_Motion is that of multiple layers of perception. Both rely on the abstraction of reality, presenting an intimate aspect of participants' physical world in an unfamiliar environment.

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Squidball (2005)

"Squidball is a large-scale, real-time interactive game that uses motion capture technology and computer graphics to create a unique and energetic experience for mass audiences. Using the motion capture volume with participating player audiences of up to 4,000 people, the game debuted on August 12th, 2004, at the Los Angeles Convention Center as pre-show entertainment for the SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater." <www 4>

Squidball and e_Motion similarities: Motion capture used to display a realtime projection. Cooperation is crucial in order to complete a task.

Squidball add e_Motion differences: Number of participants (4000 Squidball Players and 2 e_Motioneers). Squidball is task oriented, whereas e_Motion participants cooperate achieve an aesthetic goal.

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Telepresence, as evident in Eduardo Kac's Uirapuru (1999)

Telepresence works have the power to contribute to a relativistic view of contemporary experience and art the same time create a new domain of action, perception, and interaction. (Kac, 211)

Eduardo Kac's work is a strong influence on the long term goals for e_Motion. Once the first phase has been completed, a system of telepresence can be implemented. Visitors (physical and virtual) will be able to participate in creating the output of the work of art. Also, the output will not be limited to a projected/printed image, but it will consist of physical objects being manipulated in both the gallery space as well as other locations.

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