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The wall

A wall which changes colour to what you think, but the trick is that it will change to the opposite side of the colour wheel. Therefore you must train your brain to think of something opposite then what it wants... for example; if i would want my room to be red, i must think of the colour green.

The "Big Picture"

1

The first object i discovered was a pair of tweeting sneakers, that while you walk tweet your every step. The sneakers were developed by Ricardo Nascimento and Tiago Martins. They were making a statement about tweeting and the amount of useless coordinates people give at all times. While the user is walking literally every step is documented as a tap, or symbol, which introduces a neat idea of privacy and perhaps laziness because anyone can see that you havn't left or walked around for long periods of time.


http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/microblogging-sneakers-tweet

2

The second object is a fashion coat, which incorporates LED's. I was interested and intrigued by this piece because the piece is extremely wearable and i would see myself wearing this coat on a daily basis, compared to some other software fashions. The designer Wendy Legro, was playing with the way the light excentuated the shape of the coat and its various folds which i thought to be very beautiful and elegant. Before seeing this piece i never though of electronic fashion to be elegant.


http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/lit-in-between-the-folds

3

This piece incorporates many aspects and materials. It is an interactive piece in which the viewer when standing in front of it can see his/her own reflection. The piece is made up of 830 square pieces of wood, 830 servo motors, control electronics,video camera, computer and wood frame. The wood pieces flip to different shades to create mirror image of the viewer in front of them. The wood pieces change shades due to shadows cast by a light on the top of it, these shadows make a series of different colours. Each of these wooden squares is connected to its own tiny servomotor which is then linked to all the other pieces through a souped-up macintosh. The small camera that is placed in the center of the piece transfers the camera image to the wooden blocks and the separate servo motors for the different wooden cubes. The artist is exploring the line between digital and and natural using completely new computer technology and organic material (the pine wood). The viewer becomes the art depending on what they place in front of the camera. Daniel Rozin also included music to enhance the experience, the music is played on low volume but creates a serene environment around the piece.The sound of the wood squares while they move is also an interesting element, because the viewers movements also changes the sound from silence to a bustling array of clacking blocks. In the piece Daniel Rozin uses two sense components of sight and sound, depending on what they decided to do in front of the piece either standing still in front of it, or moving franticly.


http://www.smoothware.com/danny/woodenmirror.htm

4

The next piece is a door which unlocks using a watch and a code which is a series of taps. To unlock the door, you just tap in your favorite hymn or song and the door automatically unlocks. I find this a neat idea because i often loose my keys but if they are my watch then i'm not likely to loose them.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMbdQptdfw&feature=player_embedded

5

The last piece is a pair of interactive capes that produce sound loops when worn. Recording the movements of the wearer it created different levels of sound. The first cape is patch worked representing different cultures and when flapped with strong waving motion the music changes. The second cape is linked to the future, it is filled with tiny mirrors to aesthically show the future and is also installed with a microphone that records sound bits every 15 seconds. These pieces are done by the artist Ricardo Nascimento and Jader Scalzaretto who were inspired by The piece is inspired by “Parangolé” from the brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica and aims to recreate the artwork using technology as a new poetic layer.


http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/interactive-sonic-capes

Examining 3 Objects

Objects found in my home that i use on a daily basis/ or enjoy.

1. A photograph in my room
This photo is on the north facing wall in my room, and it depicts a seated women in black and white. After reading the text it showed my how important this photograph is to me, because it isn't just a photograph of a seated figure but its that of my grandmother when she fist came on her on to montreal, and was giving to me when i moved here. I surrounded myself with this image to feel more comfortable in my new home and surround myself with objects which provide me with a sense of comfort.



A way in which this object could become magical is if would move around the image as if it were alive, this would provide my with more comfort because it wouldn't make the city as lonely because i would feel my grandmother with me at all times. ( Kind of like a skype type thing but i wouldn't be able to communicate with the figure only watch it interact with the space around it.)

2. A blanket
The blanket i own is green and fluffy and i often cuddle up to it while doing homework or watching television in my home. The blanket is relatively new and i received it as a christmas present while in florida visiting family. Whenever i use it, it brings me to laying outside on a frosty day laying in the sun reading my book, surrounded by my family which was also reading around me. This object bring me to an experience with my family and whenever i do use this blanket it reminds of this day.



A magical experience i could have with this blanket is it would provide this sense of being beside someone or trigger vivid memories. When you use the blanket and enjoy the experience your having with it you can press a button that takes an memory snapshot and keeps it into its memory, then later on you can choose which memory you would like to use and it synthetically brings you back to that time.

3. A chair
This chair i have in my room, its red fake suede and is relatively small and is perfect for my small space in my apartment. This chair is special to me because it was the first piece of furniture that i bought myself for my own apartment new from the store. For me this chair this chair represents independence and the begging of the rest of my life. The only problem with it is the colour is very vibrant ( which i love) but in the future when i buy my own house of decide that i may not love the colour anymore the chair is junk.



A which the piece would become more of a cradle to cradle piece would be if the fabric could change designs and colours with just the touch of a key pad. Custom made slip covers are very expensive and often slip off and don't really keep the tight lines of the chair and curves very well. The colour changes would happen in fabric itself and would be beneficial cause the fabric wouldn't fade and would not deteriorate either.

Why we need things, in history from things

This reading was discussing the relationship we have with items and how items effect our lives everyday. The first section introduced our consumption of these "things" like electronic materials, craft objects and art to name a few. These objects are not necessary tools for our lives to run smoothly, but objects which enhance our daily experiences and make our environment around us more comfortable. In the reading it gave the example how nomadic tribes would not accept gifts because it would increase the size of things they needed to carry, but these days we clutter our lives with objects. Our consumption of items is never ending and is increased with the western ideals of the more you consume the better it is for our economy and the prosperity of our country. The amount of items you own shows your wealth and the comfortable living situation you have set up for your self. We also place emotional ties to these items, we tie them to family, friends and events which increase the value and justify our reasoning for having these unnecessary things in our home. Like a Mickey Mouse teddy bear is not an items which provides the owner with any physical benefits, but makes the owner happy because it reminds them of their trip to florida with their family when they were ten. In the reading they describe how unnecessary goods gives us a feeling of belonging and helps us create stronger connections with the people around us. The entertainment that these objects brings us transfers to a happier mental state and comfort which translates to a better person. In my design practice i can take this idea and translate it to making objects that can be reused in different manners but still hold the same emotional attachment. The reading talked about these objects as cradle to grave, but in my design practice it would be more beneficial to talk the items broken and unusable back to the cradle by refurbishing them so they can hold another meaning on top of its old one. For example taking the ripped canvas of a wall painting and using it in patch work to create a tote bad.