User:Nan Wang/reading, writing and research methodologies

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'Social phobia Interactive installation'

What?

This interactive installation is a robotic object without any practical function.

The body of this robot was made of white cloth and stuffed with cutton fibre, rubber pipes and red balloons. It’s nerves system was built by sensors,

air pumps and electronic timers. I wanted to make it cell shapes and organic forms. It was in a total passive condition in which it was not able to move

but to be approached and manipulated by people.This robot carried a centern character which is the fear of the approach of strangers.The balloon was

inflated once the air pump was activated when someone is close enouh to the infrared detector. the balloons started to reacte as ancious breath, inhaling

and exhaling. At the same time, the electronic timer controlled the volume of air to prevent frequent explosions of those red balloons. But still it was facing

the danger of self-destruction through its own fear.

Why?

I extract and amplify my personal feelings into this interactive installation. It has its own personalities, which is the anxiety and fear with strangers. I am amazed

by all kinds of imperfection、flaws、defect and mistake. Most people consider those words repreaent weakness or try to avoid them. However somehow I always

find it very inspired. I always could find huge visual and psychological power when I try to amplify certain defect. In this work I try to extract and amplify some

weakness from myself in order to create something not only carry anxiety but make the viewer also stressed when its anxiety reach certain point. The approach

of viewer causing the anxious reaction of the installation, when it about to explose, most viewer chose to step away.This kind of psychological dynamic between

the viewer and the artwork is the most interesting part of every interactive work.

How?

I hand sewed all the cloth together and fill it will cotton to created the body part of this work. Use rubber pipes connect air pump to those balloons. Connect

the sensors to air pump as a commend power switch and use extra electronic timer to concorl the airpump volum of air and rhyme of timing in order to create

the “breathing” illusion.

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'Self-regeneration Interactive installation with moving images and sound'

What?

This work was constructed as a 1.4 x 2 x 4 meter wooden tunnel. The end of the tunnel is a projection screen which allow me to use moving images to

built a virtual space.The virtual space is an expansion based on the physical tunnel installation, eight life size figures of myself live in the virtual space.

Those figures are mirror image of my thoughts , physical activities and behaviors which repeat each different moment with high speed.The video was

created based on the size of the tunnel space the figures was base on the life size of myself. When audiences enter into the tunnel, while audiences come

closer to the virtual space, those eight figures will be destroyed one by one. Those figures will be regenerated later when the audiences leave the tunnel.

As long as this interaction continues, those figures will be infinitely killed and regenerated.The audio system of this installation used eight sound producers

playing individual sound track. Each sound track content heart beats, sound effect when those figures shattered, and some background noises.

Why?

Self-regeneration is my graduation project. Most of my previous works are focus on my inner world or inspired by my own memory or personl experience.

However in my graduation project, I try to expend the context of the concept of my work. I attempted to build a tunnel between the real physical world and

my inner world, trying to explore the association and interaction between these two worlds. How others or outside imformation affects my thoughts and my

personalities. I built a virtual space , eight life size figures live in the virtual space in a fragile status. These figures actually represent different character which

are extracted from myself. they carry my confusion, my fear, my anxiety, my ideals. They could be eassily destroied and rebuilt, as a reflaction of my metabolism

for mental or spirtual status.

How

Video:

The video was shot in front of green screen. The background is replaced For further Editing. Animated images and the virtul background were created with 3Dmax

and adobe Aftereffects.

Audio system:

The audio system of this installation used eight sound producers playing individual sound track as heart beats and sound effects when those figures shattered.

Electronic parts and programming:

The final video were reorganized and programmed in Adobe Flash. 14 Infrared sensors were used to Connect to one USB device （GAMEPAD ）then connect the

USB device to the computer so that those sensors will be able to control the keyboard of computer in order to sent command to flash project to play different videos.