TERMS OF USE is an interactive multimedia installation consisting of three identical chairs – each enhanced with a different extension. As the visitors engage with each modfied chair they are invited to closely observe their relationship with the chair and question the conditions under which the resulting interactions take place.
Chair 1
Chair 2
Chair 3
We are surrounded by objects that are made by humans. We interact with these objects in our every day life but never really take the time to do that in a conscious way. Every artifact is the result of a design process – a human putting their thoughts into material form. Once put out in the world a designed artifact – especially in the physical realm – communicates or rather claims a certain truthfulness. It is no longer the thought of an individual but through its materialized state becomes part of others people reality.
We approach these objects as something absolute and honest. We put trust into the materialized not questioning its origins or it's intentions – as they are invisible to us. We don't see the designers behind the artifact with all of their intentions, beliefs, values, ideals and thoughts. But when interacting with an artifact it is exactly these which we are introduced too. The artifact acts as a medium for thoughts. We follow these thoughts – we follow these intentions without us knowing we do so.
Borrowing these pre-thought thoughts without thinking about it is what we perceive as intuition. Not having to think about every interaction with every artifact we are confronted with in our daily life opens up the space for new thoughts. This means that every use of an artifact is bound to certain conditions: The borrowing of thoughts allows us to focus on other things, but at the same time we are also guided and restricted by these thoughts. Especially if we are not aware that we are following the intentions and rules of someone else.
With my installation I want to create a space in which the visitors get the chance to take on a different perspective on everyday artifacts. I would like more people to be aware of the conditions they agree to when engaging with artifacts.
The installation is setup in a way which breaks up the process of engaging with an artifact into smaller steps – inviting the visitors to closely observe, what they may overlook in everyday life.
Chair 1
The first chair has physical numbers from 1 to 15 glued onto each of it’s parts. It focuses on the material deconstruction of the artifact — asking the visitors to look beyond the surface of the object.
Chair 2
The second chair is equipped with several capacitive touch sensors. These are connected to a microcontroller and receipt printer. Each time a human touches or let’s go of any of the surfaces the sensors detect this interaction. Each interaction is documented by printing out a new a line with the description of the interaction and a timestamp to the endless receipt. This creates a physical protocol of all interactions that have happened between the visitors and the chair.
Chair 3
The third chair is setup infront of a display with a webcam facing the chair. The webcam image is processed to detect humans and extracts a minimal skeleton from the video feed. This skeleton is shown on the display on a white background. The skeleton is drawn to the white canvas with a reduced opacity which leads to every captured skeleton position to be drawn onto the canvas creating a kind digital snow angel effect.
Stickers
I designed a warning label in the form of stickers that visitors could take away from the exhibition and place on artifacts around them. The stickers act as little interventions that hopefully create awareness to the topic.
