Tactile Adaptation
new media
7' x 9' x 9' (2008)

-----In simple terms, Tactile Adaptation is an input and output device that centers on the notion of translation. The installation consists of grey elements that create a stage for the viewer. In the middle of the stage, there is a fleshy object that has pressure sensitive resisters imbedded under a silicone skin. These sensors enable microcontrollers to detect how hard and where the object is being touched. There are also two small transducers imbedded in the fleshy object that detect distance. Surrounding the fleshy object are five color panels that are capable of producing thousands of colors. Mixing different amounts of light from the LEDs enables the panels to produce different colors. On the floor of the stage, there are four speakers capable of producing low frequency tones. Exiting the stage and color panels are yellow wires that lead into a control box mounted to the wall. Inside this box are circuitry and four microcontrollers responsible for controlling the behavior the work exhibits.
-----The main ideas investigated in this work reside in the juncture between material and formal associations as they relate to exploration and discovery. When a viewer interacts with the work their behavior shapes the behavior of the installation. The viewer is able to explore the work physically through position and touch. However, there is some level of uncertainty because the installation creates a sense of repulsion and attraction. The unfamiliar and strange characteristics of the fleshy object creates discomfort and hesitation to interact with the work. In contrast, seeing a field of colorful lights and interesting sounds draws the viewers to interact. This ambiguity can occur in real life, too. Sometimes it is not appropriate to touch other people and often touch can be awkward. Despite these feelings of uncertainty, it is essential for humans to receive touch.
-----Both literally and figuratively, the main connection to the work is touch. While most artworks exploit the sense of sight, I felt compelled to take advantage of more. In order to fully experience the work, it is necessary for the viewer to touch the fleshy object. Depending on how hard they touch and where they touch changes the color of the panels around them. The installation also detects the distance of the viewer. Depending on how far the viewer stands from the fleshy object determines what kind of sounds are heard. When a viewer interacts with the work, they gain the ability to manipulate the environment around them. One of my expectations is that a viewer will try to explore the work and try to figure out how their behavior translates into the work’s behavior. Some of the most important things I know can be attributed to the act of exploration and discovery.
-----For me this installation has many successful elements because it takes advantage of chance and unpredictability. One of the difficulties with some previous works was that they were too easy to figure out. Viewers quickly realized how their behavior affected the behavior of the work. With the use of microcontrollers, it is now easy for me to integrate chance and unpredictable behavior as a part of the aesthetic of the work. By incorporating randomization in the programming of the installation, I was able to make the behavior seem more complex and ultimately richer. This extended the idea of exploration and discovery by allowing the viewer more time with the diverse reactions of the work.