Shawn Lawson & Wafaa Bilal - Wu Wei, Responsive Environment 2003

2003 This interactive work requires the viewer to act, without acting. Physical stillness combined with contemplative meditation entice the viewer with different qualities of this 16th Century Chinese painting. The consistent attention given by a viewer will gradually encourage the painting to appear. When the painting has fully appeared, then specific elements begin to animate: clouds roll with the wind, water laps on the rocks, leaves descend from the trees, and birds navigate the horizon. Additionally and almost imperceptively, the sounds of the painting accompanies the animation. The Work asks viewers to invest a few moments of their time. It does not respond to quick movements or to anyone standing near the bench. In either of these situations, the work will fade out and become silent. A camera directly above the bench is used by a computer vision algorithm to track visitor presence and changes in movement. The result then determines the progression or regression of the visual and audio. The animation is randomly generated on-demand. It is never the same twice. This diminishes any noticeable repetition that may occur during the viewer's experience.
More info:http://www.crudeoils.us/shawn/html/wuwei.html

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• art
• interactive
• meditation
• Taoist
• painting
• tracking
• experience
• perception