Walking with projectors

Symposium:


Session Title:
  • Public Spaces (Papers)

Presentation Title:
  • Walking with projectors

Presenter(s):


Venue(s):


Abstract:

  • In this short paper I discuss how portable projectors can be used in public space, in particular in parks, to open up social and creative spaces. Portable digital technology such as smart phones and digital tablets are slowly incorporating more and more capabilities. Users are putting to good use established functionalities such as collecting data from immediate environments (images, sounds and geographical location) and retrieving and sending such information to repositories and digital accounts. They are versed in keeping their digital selves up to date. The incorporation of new features into these devices will have an impact on the way they are used. The current design affords for a ‘tuning’ of personalised digital devices (Coyne 2010) as the person can move in the environment of her choice ‘tuned’ to her data, sounds, and friends.

    She is save in her bubble of ‘tuned’ personalised space. She is freed, for instance from interacting with others while she walks in the park on her way home. With the incorporation of digital projection capabilities these ‘tuned’ personalised digital devices could turn inside out and transform personal space into public space. Some smart phones in the market have already incorporated portable projectors, but this feature is still rare. To explore how portable projections could be used to render everyday spaces an new and become a meeting space where people could share their experience of moving, walking and interacting with each other in public space I have developed a series of audiovisual walks. In this audiovisual walks, people are invited to move in space and project images and sounds onto the environment, and in this way contributing with their presence to the unfolding of the audiovisual work while sharing the experience with others in public space.

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