The massive increase of smartphone usage is having an impact on how we relate to the world around us. Everyone anywhere on earth is within our vicinity, reachable instantly in real-time. For the creative industry, amazing new formats are possible given now that a global instant audience is ready to join any smartphone-powered event from anywhere in the world at any given time.
An illustrative manifestation of this new reality was the
"Global Choreography" launched on October 7th 2012, a dance routine developed specifically for humans anno now, to which the mobile phone is almost like a natural extension to their body.
The dance consists of 33 moves for hands holding a mobile phone, guided by a virtual augmented reality cube floating around the participants. An interface that expressively demonstrates the possibilities of the data-powered reality of today. The movement of the cube is based on one server-based script which brings all participants across the world to dance in sync. The flashmob reinvented.
No longer do we need to gather on one specific public quare to perform the usual orchestrated dance. We can dance individually, together. An expression of how we live our mobile lives in the hyper connected reality of today.
INTERVIEW
- What does it mean for you to work/act in public space?
Most of my projects are augmented reality experiences. The technology gives me the freedom to
situate my work at any thinkable spot. There's no need for a white cube because people have the
required hardware in their pocket. In some cases, it's not even possible to present a project of mine
in a gallery or museum because the context there is different. It's the nature of AR that there's a
relation with the physical environment in which it is viewed. In some cases the relation consists of
interactive AR that addresses a topic that's relevant to a specific location. In the case of Dance.AR
it's the physical impact the app has, by letting people join the synchronised dance.
- Was Dance.AR a political artwork? Does it deliver a particular message?
The Global Choreography was launched to be a worldwide happening, but the emotion of being part
of something huge was not the main goal of the project. Understanding and feeling the scale of the
event was quite a challenge for particpants. Despite the counters indicating the amount of fellow
dancers in various countries, all they saw was a tiny 3D cube floating around their head in
augmented reality. The contrast between the utterly minimalistic creation and the impact it had in
the physical world could not be higher. Especially in times when people go crazy about fancy
spectacular augmented reality, I feel the urge to show them what can be achieved with a conceptual
project, that refrains from showing too much visualy letting some space for the imagination
- How would you define the part the public play in the work? Are people a piece of it or are they
kind of interpreters?
The concept manifests itself in two ways. On a small scale, there's an individual dancing the
predefined movements holding his or her smartphone. It's a public performance for those that watch
it. But as a result of these individuals dancing, the global event exists. It wouldn't exist without
them.
Perhaps that's the tough part of creating concept art in the age of AR. Whereas in a previous
century, an artist could create concept art on paper. Now with these technologies that make any
imaginable concept possible, it must be created in order to make it real.
- More generally, what do you think art brings to technology?
There's a lot of talk about how art and technology can go hand in hand. Artists are invited to think
about new applications of technology, and they're using new technologies in their creative process.
But personally, I think art should be more than a mechanism to showcase new possibilities of new
technologies. The world is changing rapidly, so that should be relfected in the arts as well. People
are changing under the influence of technology, and that means audiences are changing. So it seems
time for the exploration of new artforms. But at the same time, artist should stick to their classic
role too: technology is at the core of many relevant developments in society these days, so it's
important that artists deal with the technology in creative reflective ways too.
ANDROID APP / privacy policy:
The app uses the camera with the purpose of the augmented reality visualisation. Camera images are not recorded on the device, nor are they submitted to any online storage space.