Physical Computing’s Greatest Hits (and misses)
Reflecting on this writing, I am fascinated by how our interaction with technology can be both deeply personal and impersonal. Physical computing projects encourage people to touch, move and react but I question whether the create real human connections or if they are just interesting projects. Projects like the interactive gloves and theremins are playful and creative but does interacting with them leave a lasting experience? Are they just things for quick entertainment or is there something deeper? I was particularly interested by the “remote hugs” which made me think about how technology connects us emotionally even when we are far apart. Despite the effort to create warmth and closeness I still think that it still has a distance and I am not sure if a machine can really replace the feel of a real human connection. This made me wonder if we as humans are losing appreciation for physical presence when depending more on technology.
This reading made me think differently about what technology should achieve. Having always thought technology to be a way of getting things done efficiently, I have got to learn of it as a tool for emotional experiences also. Maybe, if we stopped focusing on the practical uses only we would get to appreciate the side that brings joy.
Making Interactive Art: Set the Stage, Then Shut Up and Listen
I found the authors advice to “step-back” to be very thought-provoking. The concept of creating something and releasing it without controlling how people experience it is something which I find to be difficult but I guess in the field of interactive art it makes sense. It made me realise that for art to be art it needs to not deliver a clear and defined message but leave space for audience to have their own interpretation.
To me, I perceived that good art should have a purpose and bear a specific idea but this writing opened my eyes. Maybe art is a means of conversation where the artist is more of a facilitator rather than a director. This makes me wonder if over-explaining art pieces limit artists work since this stops the art from becoming fully alive in other peoples minds. I have come to understand that letting the audience interpret the art freely means that each person gets their own unique experience which might not even be what the artist intended. This writing has made me see interactive art as more about curiosity and less about control