Julianna Yau’s blog

When Andrew Hunter & Marcel O’Gorman were preparing for this session, I thought I saw them fiddling with a bag of props. I know I’m a geek at heart because this was the most exciting session for me, based purely on the fact that we got to make a throwie at the end.

Pics and notes:

Marcel

-Critical Media Lab
-new media impact human condition
-parody of MIT Media Lab

-will show us different projects
-using technology to critique technology

Cycle of Dread
-concept of “flow”; being “in the zone”
-how does this apply to video gaming industry? most investment from gambling and gaming industries
-existential dread while in the flow state
-Facebook –> escape self-awareness; no existential dread
-”Empty Days” + “Dreadmill” = Cycle of Dread”

oncoGeiger
-Luke Murphy
-self-expression as therapeutic means for cancer patients
-Well-Tit centre at UWaterloo

-problem with developing projects like this –> much of the development happing in the business world, not in the universities –> resistence from the arts & humanities to commercialization; good, but need to involve some to keep up

-impact of technology on the human body

-Busines Factory
-Mario Polese, University Affairs, May 2008:
“Universities should not function like motors for economic development. This is what they may become one day, when community organizations and government call on the expertise of their researhers. But that role must accrue to them through their mission to teach and do research, and not the other way around”
-ideas first, technology 2nd

MESDAG
-geocaching (photo)
-geocaching + social networking + Built environment = MESADG
-childhood obesity
-getting kids active
-GPS + accelerometer + wireless database
-”su-veillance” (anti surveillance)
-accelerometer linked to Blckberry; get a prompt every day (e.g. take picture of tree; take picture of 1 way sign); upload to web; fill grid; when grid filled, they win
-can track whether these games impact their activity (devices w/game versus devices w/out game)
-promoting physical fitness
-promoting environmental awareness

-large-scale projects vs gurilla style (promoting messiness)
-”the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn”, Alvin Toffler, “Rethinking the Future”
-demystiying the technology
-calling for an embracing of the messiness

-transparency of technology
-impact of technology on the human condition
-engage the artist
-requirement of the critical role
-combine technology and bodies to engage the community with ore than e-newsletters
-use technology to integrate the community into art projects

- - -

Andrew (Render Gallery)

-wanted to move away from traditional concept of gallery
-building relationships with people in other departments
-work outside of limits of Fine Arts program
-Environmental Studies; School of Architecture
-UWaterloo seen as the tech university
-Andrew not a sophisticated user of technology
-works with artists who are immersed in technology
-interested in the mass of people who are “left behind” or don’t have access to the technology
-interested in the environmental impact of technology

Proboscis (slide)
-artist group based in London, England
-Urban Tapestries (developed a decade ago)
-knowledge sharing; social interaction
-work with school kids and people in low income housing
-many communities they worked with didn’t have access to technology
-had to develop other tools which could be connected to their tools
-StoryCubes
-DIFFUSION eBook
-”this is not a book”
-DIFFUSION Generator
-Robotic Feral Project
–environmental sensor + kids toys (robotic) = mapping
-Snout
–wearable sensors
–Snout Event on Flickr
–sensors are on the snout of the costume
–LEDs on outfit
-AnArcheology Labs (collab w/Render)
-knowledge of how to use technology, not just access to it
-students at the university more interested in fine arts, not technology
-strong community-based interactions, both with Proboscis and the community and Proboscis and Render
-Render not interested in moving art into the community (that role already filled by CAFKA and KWAG); more about interdisciplinary work and meaningful impact on lives of “young people” (pre-university age)
-different ways of applying technological knowledge –> not just about working for Google

-Throwies project w/Children’s Museum in KW

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