MSc. Media Technology – Sound, Space and Interaction – Spring 2019
In collaboration with Joanna Mania.
Concept
An immersive experience where the user gets to know the character of a story by diving into collective memories of the hypothetical owner of the suitcase and marking his/her presence at the end of the event.
Objects in a suitcase are connected to spoken text audio fragments, that tell about the memories of characters in an interactive story. By picking up the objects, users can (re)combine the elements, and explore the narrative space in a multimodal experience.
Sound and Space
Through the use of sound and physical objects, a narrative and imaginative spaces are formed, where each participant can enter a dialogue with the story. In the context of this artwork, dialogue does not mean a simple exchange of feedback. A lot of emphasis lies here on ability to listen which, in our opinion, is essential to establish meaningful emotional relationship.
Sound used in this installation is limited mainly to human voice that is seen as an expressive tool. It helps to envision the character and create an affective response in the participant.
Interaction
Touch points that give access to the memories connected to the objects (Makey Makey).
- Two ways of exploring: by following the hints which are embedded in the fragment (see Attachment 3), or by navigating in random order
- Two perspectives are offered as a person exists both, in his/her own mind and thoughts of others. Complementary perspectives disclose the relationship between the characters and increase the depth of story. Postcard g ives the participant a chance to become a part of the story, and leave a trail for a next participants (sound module).
Non linear narrative
There is no predefined order of exploring, however all objects are linked to each other. Each object’s audio fragment refers to two others (see Attachment 2). Although this is not very explicit, we believe that this impacts the decision-making process (valid for both perspectives). As the story unfolds for each user in different way, the cognitive image and emotional connection with the main character vary per participant. We believe that personal features of the artwork elicit interest and evoke curiosity among participants. They are encouraged to become a part of the story by recording a message for the suitcase owner. The message leaves a trail, and is available for the next user.
