The new wicked problem of information definition, retrieval, and interaction:
the possibilities of format are endless in new media environments.
Perhaps this statement demonstrates the novelty or benefit of imposing physical qualities information in order to fix certain types of information within a limited expression?
I think there is a place/need to bring some types of information back into the physical somehow, even if it the connection between the digital and physical is imposed and unnatural.
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In reference to the discussion above...
I am thinking about an idea I had about quantifying people's paper usage into a kinetic sculpture which physically reflected people's paper usage through a flurry of paper within a closed plexiglass box. The sculpture would respond through live action in accordance to the amount of papers being printed within the college of design. The box would be situated in an open public place, such as the rotunda or the building crosswalk, so as to be an accessible and imposing performance for students. The more printing- the more activity the flurry of papers within the box had. The less printing the more calmness. I think the narrative of a flurry of papers is weak. I think it could be stronger and more telling or challenging. However it could be visually interesting enough to elicit attention. Ultimately the idea is trying to connect people to exactly how much paper is being used in order to encourage a smaller amount of paper usage.
Little to my knowledge this has been done probably once and a million times before... I liked Amber's post of an example here of the fountain which reflects real-time currency rates on the internet.
I am still interested in creating this sort of temporary sculpture at NCSU but wouldn't really know how. To add to this idea, I was also enjoying the idea of students using the system to create a performace based soley on their print quota history. In this scenario the student would imput their user id and password into the system and watch the sculpture as it responds, quantifying their paper usage over any specified length of time.
Could it encourage decreased usage of paper or more informed printing?
Process...
My purpose for explaining this process is to understand how my brain follows trails of thought, in order aid my development as a thinker/designer. I am also interested in the way I process information in order to think about the way a computer could process information and be lead to certain conclusions... But that is another post.
I thought of the paper kinetic sculpture after I had accidentally put confetti and a piece of paper in a holey jar.
One day I was throwing away and old cd insert with an illustration of intenstines on it. I thought it was nice artwork but had had it hanging around long enough. As I was throwing it away I noticed the colors in the illustration matched the confetti and put it in the jar.
It was from this happy discovery and many others- like walking past the shredded paper underneath the Brooks side staircase, and thinking about trying to bring things into a physical, public, and performative space, that I recognized this context.
It was when I did this that I realized I could blow into the hole and make the confetti scatter against the backdrop of the intestines. I like the way somehow these two things situate the action.
It was from this happy discovery and many others- like walking past the shredded paper underneath the Brooks side staircase, and thinking about trying to bring things into a physical, public, and performative space, that I recognized this context.
