Heard, Experimenta, by Rhys Turner and Mel Ramos, 2009
Heard is an interactive artwork exploring cultural and social views through sophisticated tracking technology in virtual as well as physical space. The work explores ideas around online social networking environments and how the proliferation of these spaces effect the way by which people relate and interact with one another.
As one of the writer’s for Mel Ramos and Rhys Turner’s audience interactive work, commissioned by Experimenta, Cat created the characters Daphne and her dog Biscuit.
The artwork invites audiences to wear a wireless digital headpiece and ‘become’ one of the characters they see on screen. They then physically explore the installation space as well as a virtual environment, which is projected onto the wall in front of them. As they walk around the space, they trigger and listen to the musings of the character they have ‘become’. These characters reflect upon their ideals, values, hopes and dreams. When there is more than one person in the space, a conversation between characters is triggered when people approach one another. This conversation can be heard through the headpieces as well as seen in text that appears on the projected screen. The writing team used grid modules to structure the interactive conversations.
cat jones 