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Leonard!
MidiTron Wireless Control for a Life-Sized Puppet
I am working with a team of designers to construct the costume of a life-sized puppet named Leonard. The wonderful people involved with the project are as follows…- Jordan Golding , professional costume builder/sculpture/visual artist- Christopher Martinez, composer/media artist/programmer/visual artist- Stjepan Rajko, programmer/dancer- Shawn Cook, programmer/media artist/sweet man who volunteered to wear the costumeThe Leonard costume will be equipped with sensors that 1. detect costume animation by the actor wearing the costume (Shawn), and 2. detect costume animation by outside actors and audience members who are interacting with the costume externally. Leonard will be modeled after the following hand puppet…Blue = Sensors for actor/wearer manipulation
Red = Sensors for manipulation by external actors/audience members
Sensors!!!
We plan use two types of sensors for Leonard.1. 3-axis accelerometer2. Fabric bend sensors (These are amazing, cheep, and homemade! If you are interested in making your own check out this instructables website by Hannah Perner-Wilson -- they’re really easy to make)Sensors used to detect costume animation by the actor wearing the costume1. A 3-axis accelerometer and compass placed in the body of the costume will report movement and orientation data. We will use this data to model Leonard’s general whole body movement and traveling through space.2. Two fabric bend sensors installed at the seam where the arm is attached at the body will report the relative position and activity rate of Leonard's arm gestures. This data will be used to model Leonard’s arm movement/gestures.In total, the two sets of sensors will provide us with 6 dimensions of data from which we can infer Leonard’s movement quality and general emotional state. For example, we will be able to distinguish smooth movement from jerky movement, as well as linear movement patterns from angular movement patterns. This information can then be used to describe Leonard’s behavioral state (example: excited vs. calm).Sensors used to detect costume animation by actors and audience members who are interacting with the costume externallyActors/audience members will be able to perform the following actions with Leonard (amongst other things)…* hugging Leonard (Leonard will hug the person back and trigger bend sensors in both hands)* shaking or holding Leonard's hands (this will activate a bend sensor in one hand)* playing with, brushing, or adjusting Leonard's teeth (this will generate activity in bend pressures sensors placed in a tooth)* scratching the underside of Leonard's ears (this will activate the bend sensors located at the crease of the ears)These sensors will be used primarily to manipulate forms of digital media that reinforce the semantics associated with playing and cuddling a stuffed toy. The resulting media artifacts that emerge are intended to be humorous, child-like, annoying, playful, lovable, and cute.System description regarding sensing and processing
All sensors inside the costume will be wired to the MidiTron Wireless for broadcasting sensor data to computers for processing. The MidiTron Wireless will provide Leonard access to the entire theater space without loss of interactive capabilities, or the need for cumbersome cables that would prevent seamless interaction and accessibility to members throughout the entire audience space.We will route the MIDI sensor data to MAX/MSP and custom-built software for real-time filtering and movement analysis. We intend to use the processed data to manipulate audio and possibly video in the performance and audience space.Case Study: The Performance Context For Leonard
Leonard is one part of a larger funded work titled Case Study. While the online component of the piece is currently under development, the live performance, in which the costume will be used, will take place February 27th-March 1st.The current plot of Case Study revolves around a woman, Diane Murdock, who is a part of a case study organized by a group of researchers known as Sector 16 (check out the Sector-16 website). Sector-16 is a mysterious psychology research team that performs case studies on unknowing participants to better understand the complicated human mind. Sector-16’s first pet project is Diane. Sector-16 finds Diane enticing as a case study subject because she suffers from a long list of behavioral disorders including social anxiety disorder, dissociation disorder, and intermittent explosive disorder. More importantly, she refuses to leave her house. S-16 has full control over Diane’s physical surroundings; however, Diane is oblivious to their presence in her life. The live performance of Case Study will be Sector-16’s first public lecture/demonstration about their research. (Click here for more information about Case Study and links to the different online portions of the piece)So who is Leonard in the context of this piece??? Leonard is Diane’s imaginary friend, a life size version of her psychiatrist’s therapy puppet. Diane created Leonard in order to break up the long periods of isolation she encounters while secluded in her home. She also blames him for the messy aftermath of her frequent and violent rages she never remembers performing. Diane treats Leonard as a best friend and a scapegoat, though it is clear that he is more of a nuisance then a good friend. Whiney, excitable, and naïve, Leonard appears to act more like a child than the best friend of an adult woman. One reason for this childlike manifestation is due to Diane’s underdeveloped understanding of a relationship, whether it be friendly or romantic. This underdeveloped concept of a friend will be manifested in the media feedback generated by Leonard. The sounds associated with Leonard will consist of childlike clicks, pops, squeaks, gurgles, grunts, and laughs. The resulting sound will be a mix of child and children’s toy noises.Other interesting and notable informational tidbits about the Case Study creative/development processWe are using and extending a couple of tools as a part of the creative/development process. The first tool is Rehearsal Assistant which we are planning to use to play media in rehearsals as well as record rehearsal footage. The second tool is MetavidWiki, an extension to MediaWiki, which we are planning to use for archival and collaborative annotation of rehearsal footage.In our blogs, we will share our experience in using and extending these tools. So far, we have experimented with some uploading of rehearsal footage to MetavidWiki, but need to work out problems in the re-encoding of video. So look for more info and footage supporting this aspect of the piece in future blogs.I suppose that is it for now. We are in the process of building the internal foam structure of Leonard’s head, so pictures will be soon to follow!!!Jessica
"It's nerve is undeniable."-The Village Voice"Sara Juli gives of herself."-The New York Times"A gutsier look at self worth..."- Gia Kourlas, The New York Times (on The Money Conversation)"A light of the downtown dance and theatre scene"-The New YorkerDeath is scary, awkward, fearsome and inevitable-we have no choice but to face our ultimate fate. Following the success of her internationally acclaimed show, 'The Money Conversation', Juli asks her audience to address the one thing we all can't escape.With her unique arsenal of movement, spoken word, and song Sara confronts the universal demon. Let's talk about death. No, really. Let's face it, deal with it, think about it, laugh about it and really talk about it. In other words, let's not change the subject. In a society that focuses all its attention on staying young, where graveyards are far removed and called the more innocuous cemeteries and "resting places," the question is not how do we deal with death - but do we deal with death at all?Oct 24-Nov 2Wed-Sun 8:30pmTickets from $20$15 (students/seniors)$10 (P.S. 122 members)www.ps122.org
 | Plug into Eyebeam, our new shows are ONYes, computer love abounds at Eyebeam. Now it‘s spreading to appliances. Next week we present our latest, and dare we say greatest, exhibition: Untethered: A sculpture garden of readymades which opens 6PM Thursday, September 25. We bet you never thought we do a sculpture show, huh? Even sooner: This Thursday in our Commons space we open Other Options the traveling exhibition curated by InCUBATE, which features projects that investigate the ways in which artists are dealing with the current climate of support for cultural production. Be sure to check the calendar of events for more info on this weekend‘s related public programming. If New York‘s Fashion Week left you hungry for something truly out of the ordinary, have a look at our photos of two Eyebeamers‘ interpretations of pret-a-porter: Last week Ayah Bdeir‘s lovely lingerie model braved the rain, and JooYoun Paek‘s guided budding fashion designers through the art of ironing plastic. This Week at Eyebeam:September 18 – October 11: Other Options exhibition opens September 25 – October 25: Untethered exhibition opens New from our Labs: September 17 – October 1: AVLAB September 21 – 27: Eyebeam at Democracy in America September 24: Sonic Antarctica September 25 – 28: openFrameworks at YCAM Japan Marisa Olson Writes her Dissertation: An Endurance Performance in 31 Acts Community: September 27: Radio Lab: Artist/Activism Seminar
September 18 – October 11: Other OptionsDate: September 18 - October 11 Other Options is a series of exhibitions and public programs that investigates the ways in which artists are dealing with the current climate of support for cultural production. By increasingly incorporating new models of resource allocation, community building, funding structures, and forms of exchange as integral to their artistic production, these artists are creating new possibilities for the role of contemporary art in an everyday context. Other Options is a traveling series that began in 2007 and comes to Eyebeam after stops in Chicago; Grand Rapids, MI; Pittsburgh; and Syracuse). The show includes work by: Forays, Josh Greene, Material Exchange, Mikey Merrill, Phil Orr and Ryan Thompson, ReTool, Joanna Spitzner, and Geraldine Juárez. Related events:
This exhibition is possible thanks to the support of the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York: http://www.lavitrina.com Curated by InCUBATE: http://www.incubate-chicago.org/otheroptions
September 25 – October 25: UntetheredUntethered: A sculpture garden of readymades Untethered is a sculpture garden of everyday objects deprogrammed of their original function, embedded with new intelligence, and transformed into surrealist and surprising readymades, including a photocopier that reads the night sky; a PDA turned guitar; and a piano that plays the Internet. The exhibition features pieces by 15 artists working at the intersection of art and technology, including current and former Eyebeam residents and fellows, as well as leading international artists:
Curated by Eyebeam curatorial fellow Sarah Cook, whose fellowship is supported by a partnership with CRUMB. Related events:
» Download press release (PDF) New from our Labs:September 17 – October 1: AVLABFrom Sept. 17 – Oct. 1, Eyebeam resident artist Hans-Christoph Steiner and musician Francisco Lopez will teach AVLAB: an advanced production workshop fusing audio and visual media for performance and installations. The artists have selected nine projects, all of which are open to collaborators. Please come and join us! http://medialab-prado.es/article/avlab_10
September 21 – 27: Eyebeam at Democracy in AmericaDemocracy in America: The National Campaign Eyebeam senior fellow Steve Lambert has created a new participatory installation for the Democracy in America exhibition. The project, Of the people, by the people, for the people includes plans for a new Pentagon and Department of Defense in which each visitor can propose to reallocate the country‘s $440 billion defense budget, and redesign the Pentagon‘s iconic building. Steve will also be hosting the Anti-Advertising Agency Foundation for Freedom 2008 Award Ceremony at Eyebeam on Friday, Sept. 19. Material Exchange and senior fellow Geraldine Juárez, collaborate with inCUBATE in the creation of a satellite storefront of their Chicago space in the Convergence Center of Democracy in America (in New York). The space will be customized for the presentation of Sunday Soup—a communal meal sold to benefit a grant for creative projects. Food Not Bombs New York (Ethan Shoshan, Leah Blanchard, Jason Black) will team up with Forays (Geraldine Juárez and Adam Bobbette) to host the exquisite Edible Excess Soup: From the dumpster to your table. Also, Tanda Foundation, Andi Sutton, Gina Badger and Anne Elizabeth Moore besides others will be hosting soups throughout the week. Check calendar for schedule: www.incubate-chicago.org/sundaysoup Also participating are Eyebeam alumni: Maria Ghani with Chitra Ganesh, Angel Nevarez and Vlerie Tevere, Trevor Paglen and Critical Art Ensemble. September 24: Sonic AntarcticaGround Truth: L‘Art Interpolaire @rt outsiders 2008 Eyebeam resident artist Andrea Polli will present Sonic Antarctica at Ground Truth: L‘Art Interpolaire this week. Sonic Antarctica is a radio broadcast, live performance, and sound and visual installation featuring recordings of the Antarctic soundscape. Sonic Antarctica features natural and industrial field recordings, scientific sonifications and interviews with scientists. A full-length audio CD of this work will be released on the Grunrecorder label in November 2008. September 25 – 28: openFrameworks at YCAM JapanR&D OpenLab fellow Zachary Lieberman and alum Theo Watson will present their openFrameworks toolkit in an advanced, four day workshop at Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media, Yamaguchi Japan. OF will be featured in the first YCAM InterLab Camp program, a new annual intensive course organized by YCAM‘s production team. This series of lectures, workshops, and summary reports for intermediate- and advanced-level participants, will be presented by invited engineers and researchers active at the front lines of media art today, who will discuss the latest technologies, tools, environments, and their applications. http://www.ycam.jp/en/interlab/ Marisa Olson Writes her Dissertation: An Endurance Performance in 31 ActsDirected by Eyebeam R&D OpenLab fellow Michael Mandiberg. Performed by Marisa Olson. Veterans of web-based autobiographical performance, Olson and “Coach Mandiberg” have teamed up to get Marisa through her dissertation by framing it as an act of endurance. Every day for the month of September, Olson will spend all day writing while webcam shots and screencaps of her desktop are automatically uploaded to the net every 60 seconds. This gesture of transparency is a continuation of Olson‘s research into the role of sousveillance in “The Art of Protest in Network Culture.” http://www.marisaolson.com/31acts/ Community:September 19: PARK(ing) DayFriday, September 19 PARK(ing) Day is a one-day, global event centered in San Francisco with events in New York, on which artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks. Together with New York‘s Transportation Alternatives, Eyebeam will host a follow-up to the event on October 18, 12 – 8PM: The PARK(ing) Day Redux block party. Stay tuned for more info: http://www.parkingday.org/ PARK(ing) Day is an open-source REBAR invention: http://www.parkingday.org/ September 27: Radio Lab: Artist/Activism SeminarDate: September 27, 12 – 6PM The Change You Want To See Gallery is please to host free103point9 Radio Lab: Artist/Activism Seminar. Please join us for a daylong seminar including presentation, hands-on workshop and film screening. free103point9 Radio Labs provide students with the technical skills and contextual background to consider and utilize the transmission spectrum for creative expression. Workshops address four main topics: the history of broadcasting; how transmitters work; online transmission tools; and transmission arts as a creative medium. On September 27, join Tianna Kennedy (free103point9), Maka Kotto (Prometheus Radio Project), and Kaya Weisman (Germantown Community Farm) for a transmitter building workshop, discussion, and screening of “Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad” (Corrugated Films). A 90-minute documentary, “A Little Bit of So Much Truth” captures the unprecedented media phenomenon that emerged when tens of thousands of school teachers, housewives, indigenous communities, health workers, farmers, and students took 14 radio stations and one TV station into their own hands, using them to organize, mobilize, and ultimately defend their grassroots struggle for social, cultural, and economic justice. |
