Egotiation: the interdisciplinary process from chaos to concept

Symposium:


Title:
  • Egotiation: the interdisciplinary process from chaos to concept

Organiser/Presenter(s):


Statement:

  • The Smart Studio at the Interactive Institute in Stockholm is an experimental, interdisciplinary group that develops ideas and projects related to the use of information technology in art and everyday life. The studio consists of people from varied backgrounds as art, architecture, cognitive science, cultural studies, design and engineering. There are several projects running parallel in the studio, consisting of smaller and larger work groups. The studio members also assemble in joint force, at least once a year, to develop an idea together from scratch. In an attempt to consciously use everybody’s individual knowledge and background as an asset in the creative process the group develops methods to work as one large, many-faceted brain and body. The aim is to create an unexpected and extraordinary result that could only be generated out of the mix and interference of everyone involved. Brainball (honorary mention at Ars Electronica 2001) is an example of this. The studio members always look forward to this process and find it to be at the core of their intentions with interdisciplinary practice. During a one-day workshop, the Smart Studio would like to invite participants to take part in a similar process and share the brainstorm techniques that are used in order to realize this convergence of very different minds. Proceeding from a topic theme, the workshop will explore some methodologies for creating new concepts together in groups. The groups should be as mixed as possible to give each individual a chance to confront the wealth of variety in the work group and the assets and problems that this brings about. The topic will be biofeedback, using the electrical signals from the body as an input to a technical device or system. This is a topic the Smart Studio has worked with in several projects, as Brainball, Brainbar and the Virus project.

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