Introducing The Room
When: Tue 26 July – Sat 30 July
Performances: Tue – Fri: 4pm and 6pm; Sat: 2pm and 4pm showings
Where: The Edge, meet at reception
Cost: Free
Bookings: Backbone Youth Arts on 07 3210 2666
What do you get when you put Arduinos and a large, empty space in the hands of artists, code monkeys, sound designers and emerging theatre makers?
Initially we had no idea. But now you can see for yourself in The Room. This interactive installation work has been developed by a motley crew, brought together by their love of tinkering, experimenting and eating pizza.
If given the right tools, could a random group of people work together in a productive, efficient way? Would they work to inspire each other and would ongoing, collaborative relationships result?
For Anna and Luke the project represented an opportunity to play and build things. Both have solid technical skills, as software and web developers respectively, but Anna were keen to diversify their skills.
“This is a real project where I get the chance to play with Arduinos, not just read about them,” said Anna.
Nathen, with his experience in Arduino, electronics and interactive installations was naturally drawn to the project. Not so much challenged by the technology, he was curious to see the success of the proposed working model.
“It’s still young days for using microprocessors and creative coding in immersive interactive spaces. Perhaps those who come along will learn something, or be inspired to make something themselves or want to come along to the edge and continue this type of work.”
Clinton’s interest lay in learning new skills. A self-confessed codemonkey, he’s at home in the Matrix, but was keen to bump brains and get his head around processing and the possibilities opened up by Kinect.
Alex and Danny bring to the mix an artists’ perspective. They are both relative newbies to the Arduino and technology side of things, but have ideas by the thousands coupled with a keen interest in breaking new ground in interactive installations.
Having worked interactive sound design for circus performance, Nintendo DSi videogame titles and Remote Control, the soundtrack to the Nintendo Wiiware/Apple iPhone game Pop on iTunes, Andrew adds another layer of imagination to the project. As a former Edge Catalyst, he is familiar with the space, but the new curious new collaborators he meets keep him coming back each week.
The team from Backbone will be be adding the final layer to The Room through an interactive performance. The young theatre makers also got their hands….tangled as they played with the Arduino sensors, scripting a short rhyme to help them keep their wires straight.
“Black and green should never be seen unless a resistor is in between!”
So now, using words like synapse and processing, phrases like ‘triggering procedural visuals’ and languages like C+, Lisp, Python, Java. these techno-pioneers are building The Room. This one you will have to experience to believe. Book your place today.
[...] Here is a preview of a collaborative art project I’ve been working on at The Edge, called The Room. [...]