Individual research topic

My topic: Technologised bodies


a) Key quotes
A "marriage of art and technology" is how Professor Horace Ip describes Body-Brush, a new tool that transforms body movements into real-time three-dimensional (3D) paintings.
(http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/puo/CityUMember/Story/Story.aspx?id=20040901213242, 1 
December, 2002)


"Stelarc's work operates on the threshold between embodiment and disembodiment, a central aspect of discussions about the changes that digital technologies have brought about for our sense of self."
(Christian Paul, "Body and Identity" in Digital art, 167)


"The question of technology is not about technology itself but about modern humanity's way of being.  The technology is fundamental to modern 'culture' ..."
(Joanna Zylinska, Cyborg Experiments: The Extensions of the Body in the Meida Age, 18)


b) Key links
http://imhungkeung.blogspot.com/
http://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2010/11/11/a-brief-reflection-on-donna-haraway/


c) Key books and articles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3143608.stm
It really reveals that different aspects of art can cooperate at the same time to produce an artwork by using technology


Cyborg Experiments: The Extensions of the Body in the Media Age (edited by Joanna Zylinska, published by Continuum London, 2002)

It echoes with the example used in class, Stelarc.  The book comes deep into his works and the message behind his works, also another artist's works, Orlan.  It discusses the issues of Virtual & Real and the ethics of future.  And it includes an interesting information is an interview with Stelarc.

d) Case Study

Body-Brush Project

•Who is the artist/maker of the artwork/website/game?
1. Professor Horace Ip, Chair Professor of Computer Science and Head of CityU's Department of Computer Science
2. Mr Young Hay, Hong Kong Artist
3. Mr Alex Tang, Research student


•What is its name?
Body-Brush Project

•When was it produced/released?
Year 2001

•Describe it in detail
It is an analysis system that transforming human body movement to various visual form and space by using infra-red illumination.  Infra-red illumination can identify the silhouette image and  capture the human body motion data in the 3D space, so the body can move in a vast space.  Also, infra-red illumination won't limit the dancer to wear specific clothes, so it won't affect the dancer's movement and let him to move freely.  The data will be then delivered to computer and computer will turn the data of the movement to visual images.

The visualisation is in real-time, visual form varies according to body position, motion speed, motion acceleration and body- size change.  How you perform your action will be immediately shown in the interface in terms of visual forms.  For example, if there is acceleration, the 3D path of the brushstroke will be exaggerated accordingly.  

This work is actually inspired by Jackson Pollock's action painting including the human energy and action into the painting.

Jackson Pollock's action painting

•For you, what is interesting/unusual/thought-provoking/aesthetically pleasing/puzzling about this artwork/website/game? [you may choose your own adjectives! These are just some suggestions]. Explain in detail.
I think this work brings a new meaning to painting.  In the past, we were used to do painting and drawing on a flat paper or canvas which are all in 2-Dimension.  Since Professor Ip and his team invented this system, painting can be done in 3-Dimension.  Body movement can create images.  Doing painting is no longer done by hands only, but the whole body can be now involved, including feet.

Apart from what we see, what we feel is another important factor I think.  Since you need to move your body to generate brush strokes, it create an interaction between human and the environment.  Especially no more boundary, such as clothing, you can move completely freely.  During the movement, you can feel the surrounding.  Somehow, from what movement you perform, we can see what the environment brings to you, and what movement you perform can be seen from the visual images generated in the interface, so, I think, it builds a connection between the environment and the visual images.

Since variation of the brush strokes depends on the body movement, such as acceleration and force, so it also builds a relationship between the painting and the action, so as Jackson Pollock's action painting.  It is interesting to see how a movement in a 3D space can be transformed into a 2D image.

Besides, this work has a function of therapy.  It could be a tool for therapist to communicate with phabia patient, physically and emotionally abused patient.  As they don't talk much, they don't want recall some terrible memory, so therapist may use this system to interpret their movement in order to guess what they think in their minds.  I think this technology extends human's communication method.  We now can communicate not only by verbal speaking, but also your body movement.