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PUSH / PULL 2003
In the installation Push / Pull, by Edwin
van der Heide and Marnix de Nijs, visitors can throw
their full bodyweight into huge hovercraft-like objects. Each player
has their ‘own’ playing field with their ‘own’
interactive hovercraft and yet the movements of one will be controllably
copied by the other and vice versa, creating an almost Tai Chi like
confrontation at a distance.
Push / Pull is inspired from the rationale behind
the recognizable world network where communication is playing a
growing role. The internet is used not only for text but in ever
increasing amounts to communicate image and sound. However it is
not often accessed for direct physical or tactile interaction. Push
/ Pull is a network research at this specific communication level.
The round objects move freely in any direction within their field
and are floating using the principle behind the hovercraft aircushion.
The audience can directly and physically interrupt the pattern of
movement by pushing and moving the objects. When one piece is moved
the other will immediately imitate the same movement however if
a second party intervenes then the contrary will take place. You
literally push against each other even though your physical location
has absolutely no common ground. It’s a game. Not only by
communicating with each other directly but also through the objects
themselves.
The interaction is partly influenced by two of
Hiroshi
Ishii’s interfaces developed at the MIT media-lab;
'Curlybot'
and 'inTouch'.
Produced by: The
Netherlands Media Art Institute, Montevideo/Time Based Arts
(NL)
Financer: Mondriaan
Foundation_Interregeling
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