Proposal

1. Working Title

Affective Interaction as experience: Employing Immersive Interaction Design to

influence a User-Directed, audiovisual Dionysian experience.

2. Aims + Objectives

“ To argue for experience as a horizon amounts to defining an attitude whose

relationship with reality is open ended.”
(Ardenne, 2004: 10)

“Changed, mind includes even itself. Unchanged, nothing gets in or out.”

John Cage

For my project and research, I will be delving into subjects that I had never explored
previously, such as certain aspects of human psychology, experimental sound, as
well as Processing. Needless to say, I will be learning as I go along, which is why I
want to approach this project with a fresh mind. I will not be looking for an answer
to a specific question; I will merely be creating an interactive experience for the
user, with the starting point being the subject of dreams, the unconscious,
intoxication; a distorted reality. As much as possible, I want to try and take a
coexisting role as an artist rather than a controlling one, in order to have a project
that is more open to that which is unintentional and unexpected.

According to Harpers Magazine, the Dionysian experience is “Governed by emotions

and particularly passions, sometimes whipped to a self-destructive frenzy of excess.”
Harpers Magazine (2009)

My Aim at the moment is to create a Dionysian-inspired interactive space, through

an application and immersive installation, which will actively engage the user. In
essence, I want the audience to be able to experience visuals and sound that can
typically be felt when under the influence of hallucinatory substances, for instance.
This would be done through a continuous Human-computer interaction where audio
and visuals (animated illustrations and video) change unpredictably according to
what the user chooses.

My theoretical research will therefore, explore to what extent (if at all) an affective
interactive installation can transport the viewer into this type of experience. This
will be done through an evaluation of the installation and the program. In addition to
this, through my theoretical research, I will also be investigating affective and
emotional interactive design, art as an experience and the influences and effects of
sound in interactive installations.

Objectives:

Objective 1: Develop strong contrasting visual concepts and ideas through

illustrations and video.

Objective 2: Become familiar with Processing (through tests and research) in order
to create digitized visuals and effects that will create a sharp contrast with traditional
techniques.

Objective 3: Carry out extensive contextual research to assist in the creation of

visuals and examine the response of the audience to other similar installations.

Objective 4: Based on research and resources; effectively combine experimental

audio pieces with visuals

Objective 5: Develop an interface that will unexpectedly and continuously transform

according to the user’s decision.

Objective 6: Put together an installation.

Objective 7: Record the response of the audience’s experience through the

installation and application.

3. Context [Including Historical, Contemporary and Theoretical Contexts]

My context will be based on the Projective theory, since my research will guide the
project I will undertake.

I will be looking at Immersive Installation Arts by Bonnie Mitchell, Elaine Lillios and
Greg Cornelius. Their installations are put together using audio and visuals, and
focus on introspection, tranquility, transformation, confrontation, enlightenment
and self-actualisation. The audience is bound to feel uncomfortable at first, but
eventually finds the experience ‘strangely compelling’.

Toshio Iwai invites the audience to play and choose own visuals and music. In one of
his projects he created a virtual score to trigger keys of a piano, which produce
projections of computer-generated images.

In Purbeck Light years, Jeremy Gardiner combines traditional with digital art, as well
as immersive virtual reality.

Lori Varga is an experimental video artist. Her live work, Beyond the Frames of Light
and Strange Sounds is transmitted onto four projectors, which is something I’m
looking into creating for my installation.
Bill Viola is considered to be one of the most important New Media artists of our
time. His works focus on human experiences such as birth, death and aspects of
consciousness.

I will be looking into film directors such as Michel Gondry and David Lynch, for the
unexpected structure and surreal experience of their films. Michel Gondry includes
several aspects of traditional media particularly in the film ‘Science of Sleep’. David
Lynch on the other hand, presents the audience with darker, gloomier films; these
are features I’d like to make use of in certain parts of my project.

For historical contexts, I will be looking at art and literary movements such as
surrealism, dada, preliminary video art, abstract expressionism and the beat
generation. The main Key Figures I will be researching are Franz Kline, Adolph
Gottlieb, Frida Kahlo, Brion Gysin and Egon Schiele.

I will be taking a closer look at the beat generation even for my theoretical context.
This short-lasting movement was based on the idea of a Dionysian notion. One of the
key members of the Beat Generation, Jack Kerouac expressed that the only
counterculture there is, is indeed a Dionysian Movement.
Chris Cunningham will be an essential key figure for my contemporary context. I
have been following his works with Aphex Twin for quite some time and the
elements of fascination and surprise are never missing in his work. Like David Lynch,
his works are mostly on the dark side, therefore more associated with the concept of
a Dionysian culture.

As inspiration for my traditional illustrations, I will be looking at works of Leigh J. Mc

Closkey, whose art works are based on history, religion, mythology, esotericism as
well as quantum physics and the nature of consciousness. Leigh J. Mc Closkey
illustrated a cover for musician Steven Ellison (known as Flying Lotus in the music
industry) which is how I came across his fascinating work. I will be exploring works of
Mtendre (known as Teebs) who is also a vinyl cover illustrator, and tends to
combine a mixture of traditional and digital art. The music of Steven Ellison as well as
the works of Leigh J. Mc Closkey are typically inspired from the drug, DMT, which
again ties with the whole idea of a Dionysian experience.

I have recently come across the works of Christian Boltanski, who, amongst other
things, is an installation artist. His installations focus on death, memory and loss and
are constructed using a vast selection of media, such as found objects, photography,
projections and video. The heart of his work lies in the creation of a spatial
dimension.
I will be investigating a number of experimental audio artists and musicians such as
La Monte Young, Charlemagne Palestine, Erik Satie and John Cage, as well as less
experimental musicians like Eluvium and John Hopkins. The latter’s music generally
offers a very bittersweet experience to the listener, therefore it might be an
interesting addition to the installation. John Cage, on the other hand, will not be
researched solely for his music, but also for his philosophies and theories.

For the Processing part, I will be looking at a number of artists on

http://processing.org/exhibition/

4. Methodology

My project will consist of quite a large variety of practical methods. For the first part
of my project, I will be scanning traditional illustrations and digitising them in After
Effects. The reason I want to start off by using traditional illustration is that they
present no particular restrictions. I want the first ideas to be raw and hand-drawn.
Through the digitisation process I aim to detach the user from the real world by
using depth on otherwise flat scanned illustrations. A variety of other effects will be
researched and put to use, to enhance the user experience. I will be using After
Effects because it allows for ample flexibility for the artist, and yet provides means
of further experimentation through the use of expressions.
Recent Experiment carried out in After Effects using scanned Water colour and 3D Layers

I shall also be including some short video clips to break apart the consistency of
drawn and generated images. Moreover I shall be including mathematically created
visuals by using Processing. The combination of mixed traditional and digital media
is all part of an aim to bring together subjects that are familiar to the user, with
elements that are unexpected. This is what will expectantly lead the user into an
immersive dream state. I plan to generate computer interaction using Flash, since it
is one of the best programs that can support both visuals as well as interaction.
The implementation of interaction is one of the last phases of my project, as well as
one of the most important stages of my project. It is therefore open to change and
develop.

My theoretical research will assist my practical experimentation by forming a solid

foundation based on outcomes and reflections of previous artist works. I want to see
how key figures attempted to captivate the audience through euphoric experiences,
and investigate what methods they have used; which ones were successful, and why
they were successful. Even though previous works of art will play an imperative role
in my research, I want to try to keep my mind open to new ideas, in order for my
project to evolve.

I will also be conducting research on affective interaction and emotional design. I

consider this research to be an essential part of my theoretical research, since I
would not be able to produce an installation which has a real effect on the human
emotions, without first understanding the human psychological reactions to certain
visuals and sounds.

Both my practical experiments as well as my theoretical research will be recorded on

my blog.
 5. Outcomes

I want my project to be unanimously available, for that reason I want to share it

online in the form of an application. However the true outcome of the project is the
experience of the affective interaction, which will be in the form of an installation.
Presently, for my final presentation I am aiming to have a dark room with a
computer and a projector where a member of the audience can play and lose
his/herself in the interactive space. The projections might also be on 3D surfaces.

The enlarged screen (projected) would hopefully give the individual a more authentic
and surreal experience. I want the space to cater for as many human senses as
possible in order for the user to feel more enthralled.

6. Work Plan

The major stages of my work plan are highlighted in yellow above.

I will dedicate the first year to creating visuals, learning Processing and conducting
contextual research. In the second year I will be collecting audio material, putting
together visual and audio and developing the interface. The final task will be the
preparation of an installation to evaluate the results of my project.

The visuals will be anything from scanned illustrations and paintings to digitally
generated pieces. These might continue in the second year if I am not happy enough
with the ones I produce in the first year. For my theoretical research, I am aiming to
finish most of the reading and findings in the first year, and dedicate the second year
to writing and formulating arguments and analysis.
As shown above, most stages will blend into one another, especially when it comes
to the creation of material; this will be an ongoing process that will last until the
execution of the installation.

7. Bibliography

Rush, M. (2007). Video Art, Second Edition. London: Thames & Hudson.

Colson, R. (2007). The Fundamentals of Digital Art. Switzerland: AVA Publishing.

Ardenne, P., Beausse, P., Goumarre. (2004). Contemporary Practices: Art as

Experience. Paris: Dis Voir.

Dewey, J. (2009). Art as Experience. Perigee Books.

Knight, B. (1996). Women of the Beat Generation: The Writers, Artists and Muses at
the Heart of a Revolution. U.S: Conari Press.

Shultis, C. (1998). Silencing the Sounded Self: John Cage and the American
Experimental Tradition. York, Pennsylvania: Maple Press.

Beatrice, L., Campo, A. (2007). Sound and Vision. Italy: Damiani.

Rush, M. (2005). New Media in Art (World of Art). London: Thames & Hudson.

Greenberg, I. (2007). Processing: Creative Coding and Computational Art. New York:
Springer-Verlag.

Wands, B. (2006). Art of the Digital Age. New York: Thames & Hudson.

Taylor, T. (2001). Strange Sounds: Music, Technology and Culture. New York:
Routledge.

Kotsopoulos, N. (2009). Krautrock: Cosmic Rock and Its Legacy. UK: Black Dog
Publishing.

Moggridge, B. (2007). Designing Interactions. US: The MIT Press.

Web:

http://immersiveinstallationart.com/

http://museum.doorsofperception.com/doors1/content.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/nam-june-paik-
first-video-artist-in-retrospect-2159047.html

http://www.designinginteractions.com/

http://www.pixelsurgeon.com/interviews/

http://harpers.org/archive/2009/07/hbc-90005412

http://www.biothing.org/

http://theprobotics.blogspot.com/

http://www.co-de-it.com/wordpress/

http://www.playusdesign.com/

Magazines:

Vale, V. (1982). Re/search no.4/5 – William S Burroughs, Throbbing Gristle, Brion

Gysin. San Francisco: V/Search

Coyne, P. (2003). Communication Arts Interactive Annual 9. Menlo Park, CA:

Communication Arts

Coyne, P. (2006). Communication Arts Interactive Annual 12. Menlo Park, CA:
Communication Arts

Coyne, P. (2007). Communication Arts Interactive Annual 13. Menlo Park, CA:
Communication Arts

Paper and Workshops:

Wood Holman, D. (2005). The Death of Dionysos: Formative Experience and Human
Anatomy in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Retrieved from:
http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-04232005-
033746/unrestricted/DWHolman.PhD.pdf

Sundström, P., Ståhl, A. & Höök, K (2006). A User-Centered Approach to Affective

Interaction. Retrieved from: http://www.sics.se/~kia/papers/kina.pdf
Reynolds, C. & Picard, R. (n.d.). Designing for Affective Interactions. Retrieved from:
http://hd.media.mit.edu/tech-reports/TR-541.pdf

McGooking, D. & Brewster, S. (2006). Haptic and Audio Interaction Design – First
International Workshop, HAID 2006 Glasgow, UK, August/September 2006
Proceedings. Germany: Springer.

Oakley, I. & Brewster, S. (2007). Haptic and Audio Interaction Design – Second
International Workshop, HAID 2007 Seoul, South Korea, November 2007
Proceedings. Germany: Springer.

Pirhonen, A. (2008). Haptic and Audio Interaction Design – Third International

Workshop, HAID 2008 Jyväskylä, Finland, September 2008 Proceedings. Germany:
Springer.

Interview:

New Media Artist, Saygin Soher http://www.sayginsoher.com/