Final Project (Solo)

Group members: Niki, Teri, Si Hui, May Thu

The process for this final project was full of bumps. My group hit multiple road blocks and we had many set backs. Since this project was set to be site specific, we decided to pick out a location first, then work from there. But the problem with this method was that we got too caught up with the site itself and lost the objective and narrative of the game.

In our first official test run we had an entirely different idea with a futuristic dystopian narrative of runaway AI robots. It was essentially an advance version of the game of Catch; a mission-completing, Amazing Race type game. The guards that were chasing the AIs will be tracking them with the joint-instagram account as surveillance. While the AIs had to upload their location and complete tasks that would eventually lead them to Paradise.

My role in the game was to facilitate the AI, feeding him clues to the next location and reminding him to update his location. To put it simply it was very hectic. I was juggling four group chats at once plus there was problems with the internet connection at Bugis street which was probably interrupted by the heavy rain.

It seems we did not solidify our ideas properly or my explanation was just poor. The player did not understand the gist of the game and I had to clear things up on the chat which took away from the narrative.

Because we wanted to conduct interactions between strangers, the player was alone and was not enjoying the game at all. After the interview with the players, we found that the instagram feed was useless to the Guard and we did not have an end- goal which was the reason why my player was so confused.

We concluded that our set up was too ambitious because to fulfill all the requirements of DIWO, glitch and third space together with this narrative and site we needed more manpower, equipment and time. So whilst simplifying the game, we ended up with the end product SONDER.

We wanted to keep and focus on our original concept of interaction between strangers and I think the Symposium played a significant role in our final ideation as Matt Adams – the co-founder of Blast Theory was invited to speak. He made some really good points about his work, mainly My Neck of the Woods, Uncle Roy All Around You and also Kidnap. All three had the element of blurring the lines between reality and fiction that was our group wanted to incorporated into SONDER.

You may refer to this link for the full chat

This hovering between real and fake was achieved in SONDER where the first run was a more serious conversation mixed in with some lies as compared to the second run where the exchange was completely pretend. The objective of the game (drawing a portrait of the other person) was strengthen with a question “Do you want to meet the person you are talking to?” at the end of the train ride. If the questions prompted by the Breadbot were at a more personal level, I think the outcome of the portraits would become more meaningful as we could really see the first impression to someone’s personality.

I realised after participating in SONDER, when interacting with someone their appearance and mannerism influence our impression significantly. To really get to know a person in real life we have to first overcome their looks. If not for SONDER, Si Hui would not have talked and met Yi Lin because he avoids contact. I would never have talked to Cheng because he is such an extrovert.

Anonymity in the third space is unique to it own; a voice without sound coaxes  one to become more expressive than they really are; even if it was pretend. During the presentation the question “Would you have become friends?” and my answer was no because I do not speak as fluently as in the chat, you cannot pause and delete your words in real life. I also do not have the courage to make stupid jokes that I shamelessly made in the chat so having exposed myself in the chat I would not want to become friends as I have been thoroughly embarrassed.

The third space chat allows for anonymity; voice without sound which coaxes  people to become more expressive than they really are; even if it was pretend. During the presentation the question “Would you have become friends?” and my answer was no because I do not speak as fluently as in the chat, you cannot pause and delete your words in real life. I also do not have the courage to make stupid jokes that I shamelessly made in the chat so having exposed myself in the chat I would not want to become friends as I have been thoroughly embarrassed.

Final Project (Group)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uxH46wj64c045GbIq6qaiQHkeqXiQcE_BVLohcrcaEM/edit?usp=sharing

Discarded Idea 1: 

  • DIMENSION 2390

    A mission-complete type game with a futuristic dystopian narrative.

In the year 2570, humanity has attained the technology to upload consciousness into machines. The lower ranks have been turned into AI robots to slave away for the elites.  The code is absolute but there is a 0.001% chance that AIs will regain self-awareness. These Renegade AIs will attempt to runaway to Dimension 2390; safe haven/paradise for the AIs.

Location: Bugis Street

Players: 3 Renegade + 3 Guards

Guard’s Goal: Catch their paired Renegade using instagram clues

Renegade’s Goal: Complete missions to escape to Dimension 2390 without being caught.

How it works:

  1. Catchers have to track and catch their runner through image clues posted on the joint instagram account
  2. All players have access to joint instagram account
  3. There are mission stations along the route 
  4. If they complete the mission in a certain amount of time, they will receive points/powers? Punishments if the runners are unable to complete their missions?
  5. Document them at the stations (before and after mission?)
  6. Upon suspecting that someone is the runner, catchers will use a code word to verify person (is this a glitch?)
  7. Players will be staggered throughout the 3 storeys.

Secret codes:

  • [The grass is always greener…] […on the ADM rooftop.]
  • [Coffee, tea, or…] […teriyaki?]
  • [Birds of a feather…] […cockblock together.]

HINTS FOR EACH STATION

  • Surveillance Hack: At square area in the middle of the 3rd floor
    • Show photo and ask them to find something that costs ( ? )
    • Make the photo a jigsaw puzzle, hide it in a box, somewhere in bugis
    • $23.90 = CD.JA
  • Disguise: Anywhere on the 1st floor
    • Take a picture in front of a mirror trying on a ugly piece of clothing
  • Fifty Shades of Lei: Sex shop on the 1st floor
      • Ask a stranger to help them take a photo outside the adult store
      • ‘SEND NUDES’ in a scrambled jumble: A romantic two-word r crfcrc millennial phrase used to express their feelings.
  • Tattoo: Have strangers try to copy a picture of a tattoo and draw it on their forearm on the 2nd floor
    • Find a shop where people make memories permanent. Search for a pen (that looks like a spring roll).
  • Lady Killer: Anywhere on the 2nd floor
    • Beta mode: We don’t have a hint for you so here’s your mission straight up: Head to the 2nd floor and find a shop owner. Film yourself winking at one of them and prompt them to wink back.
  • Portal: Stairwell
      • Congratulations — you have completed all your missions! The portal is now open for your escape.
      • Proceed to Level 2. Find this place:

Comments on Dimension 2390:

  • Missions should depend on the theme of the game
  • Should involve teams instead of one person —> The thrill of competing with someone you know.
  • Catcher go through missions to gain visual descriptions of the other player/Runner go through missions to gain superpowers to stun the catchers
  • Hider stays at one level but catcher goes to all levels —> Can deceive but the hider cannot change location
  • Add clues
  • Collaborations between the catchers and collab between the runner
  • Try tweeting words instead of insta pictures
  • Try disguising our Go Pro with a snack box :’)
  • Facilitators hold the GoPro?
  • Missions: Need to be more interesting
  • What is the theme of the game? Interacting with strangers//fashion//sci-fi!!!!
  • TAKE OUT SUBJECTIVE MISSIONS —> Switch to more of like hunting//searching kind of games
  • WHAT IS OUR FRICKING OBJECTIVE OF THE GAME
  • Instructions must must must be clear —> runner was confused
  • Maybe when the runner is caught —> They become catchers////Facils film the catchers whereas runner him themselves

Reason to drop idea: TOO COMPLICATED. LACK OF MANPOWER.

Other Ideas:

RPG game 

  • Real life arcade game where we are the characters that the players control

Pillow Talk

  • 2 strangers have an intimate conversation with one another
  • Separated by bed sheet / different rooms
  • Communicate by passing written notes / slipping it under the door

BUNC Hostel

  • Version 1: No-escape room
    • Max players: 4 pairs of 2 = 8ppl
    • Pair: (inside) & (outside)
      • Game host explain fake rules to all players of 4.
      • (inside) and (outside) Players enter the game with extra secret solo missions that clashes.  
      • Watch the game fall into chaos.
  • Version 2: Dead of Winter inspired
    • Each player in one bed
    • Each bed is a different fort with different supplies, covered by a bedsheet
    • All players have a common goal but also a personal mission to accomplish
    • We act as the people who deliver the bad news / crisis
  • Version 3: Us versus Them
    • We watch players from a screen outside
    • Goal of the game is to escape the room
    • One of us pretend to be a tourist and act as both a player and spy for us
    • While everyone tries to escape the room, our spy will stir shit and prevent them from escaping
  • Version 4:
    • 1 bed fort, camera will film only the bed
    • Play with other occupants in the room
    • 2 players can enter at one time
    • Both will have different roles
  • Version 5:
    • 4 beds, 4 players
    • Maximum 2 hours
    • Use telegram as means of a third space / QR code
    • Covering of bed
    • Fake mission -> real mission / they are not fully aware of parts of the mission
  • Version 6: ‘Prop Hunt’ IRL
    • Collective insta-account
    • Looking for each other
    • One player can only move 5j steps at a time / hop on one leg / lie

Previous References:

  • Shed at Dulwich 
    • Fake restaurant that made it to the top of Trip Advisor
    • People order from a menu of moods rather than actual food names
  • Butler Cafes in Japan 
    • Waiters play along with the customers’ narrative about their day’s schedule
  • Big Brother Survival Game >
    • CCTV concept
    • TV Audience watches the players and votes them out
    • Betrayal and human dynamics

 

Group Members:

https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/may005

https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/nkoh010

https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/teri0001

https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/hosi0013

Symposium Hyperessay

I attended the first and second day of the Symposium and although I have use  video chat before it is still very new for me. It was a first for me to have the opportunity to watch and interact with professional artist live and it help expand my knowledge of the art world as I now know about more artist in the field now. I also gained insights to their perspective and ideas at a very intellectual level of which I could barely keep up with. This essay will be  a recording of my thoughts about the parts of Symposium that stood out to me most.

Firstly, in Maria Chatzichristodoulou’s Keynote she mentioned a couple of projects such as the Gertrude Stein Repertory Theatre, Station House Opera and Troika Ranch Surfacing (2004).

I had an epiphany that I had an impression that interactive media art was a modern thing, like Blast Theory’s projects- social experiments testing the limits of human interaction and voyeurism.

The thought that it could be applied in traditional art forms such as theater and dance did not occur to me; or rather I forgot. It could tap into imagination and other worldly experiences, bringing new possibilities into traditional mediums. 

The first time I viewed this performance, I did not understand a single thing. The connection was fairly smooth however the audio was not the best and for me it was quite muffled and grainy. After watching it for the second time, I understood that this was exactly what they wanted – the glitch experience of online social platforms.

Randall mentioned that it was an ironic performance as the performance was broadcast smoothly despite its purpose of playing with the glitch in third space communication. The broadcast did have a massive lag attack right after the performance which was really unexpected because everything before was going so well. Third space communication will always have a latency to it as the server takes time to connect as well and this could be seen when someone joked “How do you know she didn’t say that 5 minutes ago?” and Annie’s laugh was delayed.

An online social broadcast performance is a very DIWO experience; different from going to watch a live performance at a physical location. In a social platform, you get to see the performance and simultaneously chat (silently) with them and the other audience which you cannot do in an actual concert. The chatroom also gives the performers control. They can choose whether or not to include the audience which I imagine will then turn it into a crowd-sourced performance.

Annie gave freedom to the other performers to express themselves in their own way in the phrases and objects. There was a point where they made an attempt to make it look like they were in the same space by showing a white background. Borrowing ideas from Blast Theory, there is the play in between the boundaries of real and pretend. In Kidnap, we see how thin the line of real and pretend can be which reminds me of the Placebo effect where information is fabricated for desired results.

Micro Project VII: Video Selfie

https://youtu.be/yMsqa_8BM6w

The alter ego I have chosen is a musician; inspired by the duet Twosetviolin. They are down to earth violinist who put out a relatable image. Therefore the home setting and clothes.

Their content allows fans to come together and feel for musician struggles. So I decided to make my video selfie an imagination of what their practice session might be – a little comical/sarcastic, serious and finally their efforts being applauded by their audience.

This side of performance is rarely seen, the outcome overshadows the process which is commonly seen as weakness. But everyone has to practice even professionals and that is why people love Twoset.

Micro-Project VI – A Day in the Life of Super-Participation

https://www.facebook.com/groups/981877025312775/

Groupmates: Desmond, May Thu, Joseph & Teri

Time: 11am 9/3/18 to 11am 10/3/18

For this activity we voted this day as our most interesting day of recess week. However, I think we did not share as actively as we should have. We mostly shared things that we were doing; all pretty trivial things such as going to class, going home, eating etc.

Joseph and I shared quite a lot, followed by May Thu and Teri. Desmond only started sharing after half a day had gone by. We also tried to comment on each others post as much as possible, most of which is reaction to the post. Sometimes we would ask about the shared information like where we were and what it was for.

I think the motivation behind this super-participation is to gain company for being alone, sharing joy and letting others know about your current status. Its always nice to let people know where you were in case you drop into a canyon and had to amputate your own arm. (127 Hours traumatized me)

Because we are all in different locations, we use the facebook page as an extension of our senses. It allow us to communicate and express ourselves in many different ways – text, stickers, videos, images etc. Through sharing we want to try and gain a reaction from others. It could be shock, empathy, sync emotions or amusement.

In my group I do not think anyone of us were trying to a certain persona by force but the things that we choose to share does reflect our personality and character.

Research Critique 3

Micro-Project V:

https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/ytan149/micro-project-5-art-of-destruction/

In our Micro-Project V: The art of destruction, we printed the Mona Lisa in actual size and burnt it. The act of burning this iconic painting is against the tradition where the painting needs to be hung and framed on a wall to be viewed and enjoyed. As such there is aberrance in the aesthetic culture.

Jon Cates said that there was “poetic embrace of noise and error” in which is the balancing of nonsense and knowledge. There cannot be beauty without ugliness and ugliness without beauty. The aberrance created is rationalised; with purposed to reveal an important message – art does not have to be proper.

This can be further supported by the Glitched Studies Manifesto, “Here noise exists within the void opposite of what (already) has a meaning. Whichever way noise is defined, the negative definition also has a positive consequence: it helps by (re)defining its opposite (world of meaning, the norm, regulation, goodness, beauty and so on).”

Leftover ashes

If you watch the performance you may see that the Mona Lisa starts off as a proper image. As it burns, it crumbles and falls apart. Some leftover ashes of laser pigment stayed intact, with a vague imprint of the printed image. The act of destruction lifts the art from its physical form to an idea. The rules of painting – perspectives, proportions, chiaroscuro etc are quite literally erased and replaced by a new concept that we the artist introduced.

Again as mentioned in Glitched Studies Manifesto “These works stretch boundaries and generate novel modes; they break open previously sealed politics and force a catharsis of conventions, norms and believe.”

Media Burn (1975)

Glitch art is often associated with the Utopian view and freedom. In our performance, Mona Lisa’s ashes were prone to being blown away by the wind which represented art to be ephemeral and free. Chip Lord was constantly talked about creating an image and putting out there as a form of information throughout the Ant Farm’s projects. He also made a brief mention of Ethos. Ethics are mostly in question in performance art. For example Ant farm’s Media Burn performance in 1975 was used to create an image to critique and attack media.

As mentioned in Glitched Studies Manifesto “Once the glitch is understood as an alternative way of representation or a new language, its tipping point has passed and the essence of its glitch-being is vanished. The glitch is no longer an art of rejection, but a shape or appearance that is recognized as a novel form (of art).” A glitch is an adnormality but after it is popularize it slowly becomes a norm and ceases to be a glitch.

Micro-Project V: Art of destruction

Groupmates: Bryan, Reuben , Kaiting and SiHui

We burned a photo-copied version of the Mona Lisa.

The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci which is the most well known artist associated to the Renaissance. So burning the Mona Lisa is an action that rebels against the norms of art – where art needed to be in proper perspective, proportionate, chiaroscuro etc.

End result – Ashes of burnt laser ink (brown).

The use of fire turns the ‘painting’ into ashes which releases the artwork from its frame. In the act of destroying traditional art, we created and turn it into new artform. This is to show that art is ever-changing as now in modern day the scope has broaden along with technological advancements. Art is ethereal.

Close up of ashes. The printed image can still be seen vaguely.

The process of this destruction happens over a period of time – watching it light up, the flame growing and then finally watch it die. Somewhat of a slow motion effect. It was suggested to be similar to Ai wei wei’s artwork of dropping a Han Dynasty Urn.

Micro Project IV- Glitch Practices

Original Image
1st edit by Nikki

Combination of all audacity effects layered on top of one another creates this black an white static. All the colours and form are completely omitted after the first edit. It is now completely unrecognizable.

2ne edit by me

I mainly use sharpen and distort -> ripple in Photoshop. It created some ‘waves’.

3rd edit by Samantha

Distortion and liquify tool on Photoshop. Here it becomes wonky.

4th edit by me

Added colours. Play with blend mode. Copy and pasted parts. Warp.

Micro-Project III – Tele Drift

Posted by Dion Chew on Wednesday, 31 January 2018

Dion and I decided to do a performance where the both of us coordinate to be a single person in the third space – lets call her Third. She did 3 things – walking, washing hands and writing.

  • Walking

We thought it would be interesting to walk down some stairs. We went to different staircases and held the cameras to our hips, hers on the left and mine on the right. Together we tried to coordinated our foot steps one after another to make it seem as if Third is walking. It turned out really awkward because after every step there would be a short pause before the other leg moves; as if she was limping. I could not quite follow the left leg because of a lag in connection and it finished the stairs before me.

  • Washing hands

After trying to synchronize our legs we decided to synchronize our hands. We went to the 2D workshop where there are a few taps by the window to stage Third washing her hands. Even though we gave cues and communicated the results were not perfect. It was difficult to position the camera so that the faucet lined up with Dion’s faucet. We timed to turn on the water at the same time but one of use was still a second behind. Syching our hands was fairly easy and believable but I was to quick to wash.

  • Writing

We were afraid that our video did not make the 5 minutes cut and thus Third wrote a sentence on Microsoft Document. At first we tried to type on different places e.g. search tab match with Microsoft Document. It looked strange because the transition was so abrupt. Third was suppose to be a single person  so we wrote on the same platform to achieve a more seamless split screen. Again, we did not know what the other was going to type which makes the end result funny.

Conclusion

The idea of a third space gave me +1 knowledge because I have never thought about it before- a place where the real and virtual world combine.

When we reviewed everyone’s work, the class was filled with laughter. Trying to communicate without speech through a screen apparently makes for good comedic skits. Despite all the difficulties in coordination I think this activity was really fun. We really had to see, hear and react accordingly to make Third come to life.

Micro-Project II – Open Source

Dion, Kai Ting and I came up with a crowdsourced artwork that reflects the emotions of the audience. The viewers are tasked to submit their current emotion represented by certain colours on an online poll.

The poll: https://www.surveylegend.com/s/kfk

How is G4 feeling today?

The resulting artwork was the colour with the highest percentage projected onto a screen for all to see.

Final artwork – turquoise/ bluish-green

This is similar to that of Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece performance in which the viewers are co-creators of our artwork. They however do not have complete control. The artist holds the highest ‘power’ for the final outcome– deciding the amount and type of viewers, the location, duration and colours.

The natures of these results are also ever-changing. In another event such as a carnival, people would feel more lively and excited as compared to going to a boring lecture. A larger number of participants would change the results abundantly too, as feelings are fickle and completely unpredictable.

Marc Garrett mentioned in his essay,

https://marcgarrett.org/2014/02/12/diwo-do-it-with-others-artistic-co-creation-as-a-decentralized-method-of-peer-empowerment-in-todays-multitude/

that “Whoever controls our art – controls our connection, relationship and imaginative experience and our discourse around it.”

In this work, we also mediate the interaction within the crowd, viewers relate to the other participants without direct physical interaction. When they look at the final results, they form a connection with the percentage of people that feel the same way.

Both artworks represent the crowd collectively as a whole. Just like in D.I.W.O (Do-It-With-Others) the collaborating artists remains anonymous and produces a unexpected outcomes. Everyone is equal as the hierarchy for ‘good’ and ‘bad’ art is absent. D.I.W.O is all about being down to earth and pure interaction between people.

Add On:

Anonymity is important because there would be no external influence. Makes results more ‘pure’. Emotions are private not everyone wants to share. So being anonymous also protects the participant’s privacy.