Wonderspaces Philly features a rotating exhibition of 14-16 immersive and/or interactive installation artworks. Of course I went to check it out, as I don’t often have the opportunity to specifically see installation work. There were many different types, in all different styles, from simply large scale, to projections, to interactive, to VR, and it was interesting to see the different styles on display. It was also a very useful research experience to see how viewers reacted and interacted with various pieces.
My own area of interest is in interactive installation, and Wonderspaces didn’t disappoint in that regard. There were many different types of interactive installation on display, from the interaction through immersion to pieces that were a collaborative performance art by the viewers. Some of my personal highlights are listed below in no particular order:
Submergence, by Squidsoup
While this piece wasn’t specifically interactive, it caused interaction by way of immersion. You were invited to walk through the installation as the soundscape and lights played around you. This installation was a perfect example of creating an environment or experience. The light strings were hanging, and could be moved, and I certainly wanted to explore and move through it. I think the lights and sounds drew viewers in really nicely, and the whole loop was 12 minutes long; long enough to just enjoy part of it, or short enough to allow yourself to be fully sucked in.
Erupture, by Nicole Banowetz
This piece really used scale to its advantage. The concept was creating a larger than life landscape of what are normally microscopic lifeforms. This piece again drew you in to look closer, and the shapes and forms were beautiful. I also really liked that it was inflatable; it’s a really nice way to solve transportation and material issues. It also gave the whole scene a really airy feeling, and on some forms there were windows where you could see inside the inflated sculptures. It really added layers and detail to the piece.
Akousmaflore, by Scenocosme
This was one of my favorite pieces; It was very specifically interactive. Each of the plants in the little hanging garden was wired to create certain sounds effects upon human connection. When you touched the plants, the sounds would play from hidden speakers within them. This was initially extremely startling when you weren’t expecting it, but became very fun after you were in on the secret. Really nicely done piece, and I loved the very specific interaction invitation along with the immediate response from interacting with the plants.
Body Paint, by Memo Akten
Another movement based interactive piece, this was a projected body mapping animation. It responded to the viewers moving in the space, and so was exactly what the title implies; you could paint with your body. Very fun piece, and it very effectively got viewers interacting with it. Again, the instant, visible pay-off of your interactions really made it work well.
The Last Word, by Illegal Art
This type of participative installation is extremely fascinating to me, but not one I personally want to create. The concept was to write down some unspoken message that you were never able to tell the intended recipient. It’s a really beautiful concept, and the presentation was very nice. You were able to read other people’s regrets, messages, and wishes, as well as add your own. One one hand, it was a really nice way to point out universal human experiences and emotion, and on the other hand, it was completely at the whim of the participants and how seriously they chose to answer.
On a Human Scale, by Matthew Matthew
This piece was really fun and interesting, but the interaction was limited by whether or not you could play piano. The concept was a piano digitally connected to a series of screens, featuring different individuals. Each screen would animate and sing a single note when the corresponding key was pressed on the piano. When people could play the piano well, the interaction time was much longer as opposed to those who could only interact by randomly pressing keys. Overall, I love the concept, but wished I personally could have interacted with it in a more interesting way.
Our Top 100, by Jody Servon
This participatory project, rather than a visual object was a digital and musical artifact. Viewers were prompted to add a meaningful song to a specific playlist on Spotify, and write a card about the memory attached to the song. Reading people’s song choices and memories was a fun experience, and you could go actually listen to the songs on the playlist as well. Again, subject to the whims of the viewers, but there was a lightheartedness about this installation that worked well with the concept. Unfortunately I realized that I forgot to get a photo of this one, but you can view it by clicking the heading, which links to the artist’s website.
Observing viewers at Wonderspaces led to some further ideas around inspiring interaction: Curiosity is the key. People need to be curious to find out what will happen when they interact, and the payoff has to be satisfactory. That can mean something happens in response to your interaction (as with Body Paint and Akousmaflore), or that it’s simply enjoyable to interact with or be in the space (Submergence, Erupture). If you’re not using curiosity, creating meaning and/or drawing attention to collective experiences is another way to create interaction (The Last Word, Our Top 100). Either a feeling of curiosity, awe, fun, or the desire to express something are all paths to elicit interaction. And the final key is to specifically invite it; tell viewers what to do. If it’s unclear, they will not interact.