Installation Update - Berlin Soup/Back to Athens - June 3, 2016

Had a successful exhibit of my augmented reality installation Object! at Berlin Soup/Back to Athens art festival.

Started to establish a working 'methodology' for display of the object. There were some logistical challenges (the installation was placed in a room in a neo-classical Greek home in the art district of Athens. It was difficult to drill appropriate support in the wall to set up the exhibit as initially intended. We had to improvise a bit and mount the coiled cord that holds the viewing device onto the wall (instead of the ceiling, which was not able to support it). Someone suggested mounting a box on the wall close to the ceiling between the coil and the wall to make the device appear close to where it was initially intended to be, but we were not able to locate one; I'll likely attempt that at next exhibit of the object.

preparing the exhibit

testing the installation

the process

The image that appears

At the event: Berlin Soup/Back to Athens Week of June 3 - June 11th, 2016

Given the reactions opening night, it appears that written directions are vital; ideally having someone there to demonstrate is also quite helpful.

Towards future iterations, I will also want to find a means by which I can ensure a user does not accidentally get out of the appropriate view on the device (this happened at least once in the evening and I had to 'reset' the device. I wish to make it as intuitive as possible so that it needs as little explanation as possible.

I eventually, at the suggestion of one of the on-site organizers, put up a handwritten piece of paper saying something to the effect of:

Directions for humans.

1. Look through the card on the device.

2. Wait until she appears.

3. Continue.

The installation did appear to create the sense of wonder that I hoped for with many; I also noticed that there were some who were not able to interpret what was happening and would need assistance to be oriented to process.

I will continue to set up a means that the whole installation is as intuitive as possible.

I have also been think a great deal about an idea my wife sparked for me about having multiple images.

From this, I wish to use:

1. modularity

2. narrative

3. de-familiarized placement of frames

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