The surveillance coat
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Habitgram, by Montreal-based artist Beewoo, is a surveillance coat that the visitor is invited to wear. Inside the coat, several wireless mini-cameras pick up the environment of the wearer. The images are multiplied through video projections on the space walls. While wearing the Habitgram, the participant actually "wears" the space in which (s)he is standing.
As the cameras are positioned so as to rotate the captured images, either vertically, horizontally or at a 90° angle, some participants tried to restore the images to their original position and many others reported experiencing sensations of vertigo while wearing it. The user in command of this mediated image flow finds himself submerged in it in a discomforting way. Would the media image be so untamable? Drowning in this immersive environment, the viewer constantly attempts to understand its structure and source. Meanwhile, (s)he discovers new ways of exploring the physical architectural space in relation to its multiplied video mirror. Here, being immersed does not prevent the viewer from taking a critical distance towards the artwork. On the contrary, it is the immersion itself that triggers critical observation. |
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Cloaked in Space Habitgram, by Montreal-based artist Beewoo, is a surveillance coat that the visitor is invited to wear. Inside the coat, several wireless mini-cameras pick up the environment of the wearer. The images are multiplied through video proje... Read More
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my criticial observation. I hate it when people surround a simple good idea by fancy words and descriptions about it's why's and how's.
a coat with wireless cameras. the acquired image is reflected on the walls becomes "the participant actually "wears" the space in which (s)he is standing"
and he wears the coat and walks and plays around becomes "he discovers new ways of exploring the physical architectural space in relation to its multiplied video mirror"
I totally see your point and certainly don't like it either when people use long, complex sentences to express very simple things.
in fact, i always try to write idiot-proof posts. I test them on myself to be sure.
but some of my readers are much smarter than me, so they appreciate and understand better than me these "fancy words", that's why I quote in italic the text written by the artists themselves. plus i don't think that "he wears the coat and walks and plays around" can translate adequately "he discovers new ways of exploring the physical architectural space in relation to its multiplied video mirror."