Interactive Wireless Sculpture at Ball State University

[Merlion]

This sculpture explores the intersections between art and technology, part of a genre known as intermedia art.

Wireless sculpture debuts at Ball State University

Display consists of four video screens; bells will also play

Ball State University will debut an interactive wireless sculpture tonight [Apr 18] at the base of Shafer Tower that will celebrate the university's technical prowess. The piece tracks wireless network users and elements such as bandwidth displaying them as images and sounds, said John Fillwalk, Ball State associate art professor.

"Once you log in to the network it essentially recognizes you as logging into the sculpture," Fillwalk said. [snip]

The piece will appear from dusk today until 11 p.m. Wednesday at the base of Shafer Tower.

Anthony Romano of University Communications said "Anytime someone logs on to the network they will become an image or a sound or something like that."

The statue is made up of four video screens - one on each side of the tower - and several speakers. The tower's bells will also play.

Fillwalk said the piece was part of a genre known as intermedia arts, which explores the intersections between art and technology.

"It takes the pulse of the wireless network on campus," he said. "The idea is to bring something abstract to life. So when people come to see the statue, they'll be able to see themselves interacting with it." [snip]

Click here (http://www.bsudailynews.com/media/storage/paper849/news/2006/04/18/News/Wireless.Sculpture.Debuts.At.Shafer.Tower-1858981.shtml?norewrite200604191054&sourcedomain=www.bsudailynews.com) for the full news article.

[fused]

I read an article online (http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006604150323) about this the other day and immediately wondered why this --display consists of four video screens; bells will also play-- was being referred to as a sculpture. Calling four screens and a few speakers a statue is even more curious, soon motion pictures will be called kinetic art.

[Merlion]

I .... wondered why this --display consists of four video screens; bells will also play-- was being referred to as a sculpture. Calling four screens and a few speakers a statue is even more curious, soon motion pictures will be called kinetic art.

Frankly speaking I have no idea why, and I myself would not call it a sculpture. But the term 'sculpture' has already been used very broadly by many in our contemporary visual art community. Some clue can be found below.

"Part of what we hope to accomplish with the sculpture is to help people see a wireless network as a physical thing," Fillwalk said. "When people think of this form of technology, it usually doesn't bring to mind something that is tangible."

I suppose this means Filwalk calls this sight and sound contraption a sculpture as he hopes it can 'bring to mind something that is tangible'.

This is now a very broad definition of a sculpture, an artwork that can bring to mind something that is tangible. It goes beyond just visual art.

[philpraxis]

Well... that's fun. I did not see any pictures of their install. Now have a look at this one:

http://www.xlrmx.org/wiki/index.php/ABug/ABug

http://xlrmx.org/news/index.php/2006/04/25/12-invitation-abug-interactive-sculpture-at-contemporary-art-biennale-of-montrouge

It's about a sculpture that uses bluetooth to interact and *talk* to viewers!

and this one really have some form with it ;-)

I agree that often, the word "sculpture" and "interactive" are used as hype word to draw attention.
Seems they were craving badly for attention thus they combined! ;-)

Disclosure: ok, the work is mine!