Martin (XPUB)-thesis outline

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Introduction


[...]
People may have now more concrete experiences of the digital/Web interface than the physical space. Museums, hotels, houses, cars interiors, restaurants are themselves becoming more and more comparable to digital interface where everything is optimized, and where our behaviours, actions and even inactions are being detected and converted into commands in order to offer a more customized (and profitable) experience to each of us. In that sense, we are getting closer from becoming users of our own interfaced physical reality. Through my research and production, I wish to ask what could be the future of exhibition space, what are the limits of this interfaced and individualized/customized reality, how could such technology affect our understanding/consideration of the curatorial practice for younger generations.

1. USERS & SPECTATORS AGENCIES

What are users and spectators allowed or expected to do and agree on.

1.1 The user agency through the Web

1.1.1 Terms, conditions, agreements

Cookies, privacy, legal uses, advertisment, copyrights, etc

1.2 The spectator agency through the Exhibition Spaces/Museums/Galleries

1.2.1 Rules, safety, regulations

Artwork safety, public safety, prohibed items, public speaking, photography, equipments, behavior, circulation, etc. Maybe even more than on the Web, being a gallery/museum visitor implies to agree on terms and conditions.

2. CONTEXTS ()

What are the spatial, technological, political and architectural factors that are together define the context in which the representation and its spectator(s) are situated.


2.1 Technological context of the Web

2.1.1 A network of factors / Technological contexts / Point of views

On the Web, the render/display of same Web page is always slighly different from a user’s to another. It depends on the technological and spatial context in which each user in situated. This context is made of many factors, such as the device used, its configuration (addons/plugins/custom settings/luminosity/scale), the IP adress, the browser used, its versions among an almost infinite list of other parameters. All theses factors added together creates a very singular context to which the Web and its contents are forced to adapt.

Ref:

2.1.2 Elasticity, obsolescence and unpredictability / Responsive technology

In that sense the Web materiality is sort of elastic (see: plasticity), which makes it singularily different from most physical objects or achitectures. Added to that, the display and functionalities of a website are also affected by the constant evolution of the Web itself, with patches, updates, expired and added elements that contribute to the ephemerality and unpredictability of what can be seen.

In order to overcome the impredicatability of rendering online interfaces among the incredible diversity of connected devices, a technology of flexibility has been developped, improved and democratised on the Web.

Ref:

Gaëlle Calvary, Joëlle Coutaz, David Thevenin Quentin Limbourg, Nathalie Souchon, Laurent Bouillon, Murielle Florins, Jean Vanderdonckt

See more:

  • Lopez, J.F., Szekely, P., Web page adaptation for Universal Access, in Proc. of Conf. on Universal Access in HCI UAHCI’ 2001

(New Orleans, August 5-10, 2001), Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, 2001,

2.2 Technological contexts in the museum/exhibition space

2.2.1 Space and agents of the production of knowledge

Architecture, scale, size, interior design, colors, layout, writing, arrangement, lighting, display, etc

2.2.2 Institutional critique (optional)

Questioning and redifining the exhibition spaces and the heritage from the White Cube by the institutional critique practice (?)

II. Reversing the desktop metaphor

The desktop metaphor was invented in the early ages of computers for facilitating the use and understanding of the digital interfaces, by making mental associations related to domains from the physical world. Now democratised, widely used and quiet often replacing our needs to converge in physical spaces, I would like to reverse the process by getting inspired by the concepts of the Web interfaces in order to suggest a singular experience and understanding of the physical exhibition space who is awell another space of representation.

1. CONCEPTS OF THE INTERFACED REALITY

Conceiving the exhibition space as a digital Web interface

1.1 "Architectural Device"

Conceiving the architecture as a technological and political device made of a set of factors and parameters

1.2 "Physical Events"

On the Web, our actions and inactions can be converted into (silent and invisible) events that can give activate things and be converted into valuable informations for advertisers, algorythms, etc. How could such thing be conceptualized inside an exhibition space.

1.3 "Programmed physical space"

Comparing the programming of an interface with the curation of a exhbibition space. Could an exhibition space be programmed?

1.4 "Exhibition User"

Conceiving the Spectator as a User of the physical space

1.5 "Variable Display"

Conceiving the physical space as an elastic/variable and potentially unpredicatable display; in order to diffract the range of viewing contexts offered by the Web.

Conclusion

[...]

References

  • Stéphanie Moser, 2010. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS: MUSEUM - Displays and the Creation of Knowledge. 1st ed. Southampton, England
  • Alexander R. Galloway - The Interface Effect 1st ed. Malden, USA: Polity Press.
  • Jonas Lund, 2012. What you see is what you get
  • Shilpa Gupta, 2009 - 2010. Speaking Wall
  • Frederick Kiesler, 1925, City of space



More here

Format of the Thesis

Online, the thesis could be displayed differently and contain more or less words/informations/images depending on the user/reader technological context (device used, operating system, browser, screen size, IP adress, etc).