Hybrid Exhibit Environments
Brief:
Create a temporary (3–4 week) exhibition on the first floor of the CMU Miller ICA featuring an artist (or issue*) currently on exhibit at one of the three museums listed above. The client wants at least one piece of the artist’s work to be on display, but they also want to use digital technology to enhance the visitor’s experience in ways they are not currently doing. (consider the pandemic issue within the limits of the possibility)
What to do:
Consider how technology can augment content, increase learning and/or make the museum experience more interactive.
Goals:
Increase awareness of the client’s exhibitions to the general public as well as attract more CMU students, faculty and staff to the museum.
Stakeholders:
- People in Oakland
- Students, faculty/staff that are interested in art and the idea of interaction between digital and physical design methods.
Key Considerations:
- Keep viewers’ interest and inspire them to want to see the full exhibit
- How can the physical spacing be both informative and efficient? What would allow the viewers to interact and understand with the art piece more influentially.
- How can a concrete artifacts give people an emotional and experiential perspective of their futures after visiting the exhibition
After visiting the Carnegie Museum of Art, I chose the works of artist Trevor Paglen: Opposing Geometries. His works of art reveals “how images are being weaponized against humans and the environment by artificially intelligent machines.
Artist Research
Trevor Paglen is an artist whose work spans image-making, sculpture, investigative journalism, writing, engineering, and numerous other disciplines. Among his chief concerns are learning how to see the historical moment we live in and developing the means to imagine alternative futures.
His ‘Opposing Geometries’ displays something that is imperfect to the machine but a thing that can be scrutinized and marked by a human. The effect becomes clear when we learn that the piece was created with autonomous vehicle software.
Dan Leers, curator of photography at CMOA, who organized the Opposing Geometries as part of the Hillman Photography Initiative said, “it’s not so much what is seen, but what is unseen.”
The manipulated images point to how technology has been created to identify and commodify natural spaces, judging them not based on their natural beauty but by their potential for development or as places through which we can drive our unmanned cars.
Opposing Geometries
Trevor Paglen’s Opposing Geometries is part of Hillman Photography Initiative’s project, Mirror with a Memory. The purpose of these projects is to explore many ways how artists probe the intersections of photography, surveillance, and AI — their past, present, and future — to underscore concerns about implicit bias, human’s right to privacy, and police monitoring embedded in companies, military, and law enforcement applications.
Mood Boards
Iteration #1
Iteration #2
These five toned down color palettes I tried to show the aesthetic but also geometric parts of the artist’s work that can be captured from it. Creating this mood board made the general concept of the tone/mood to feel better and become more relatable. The main considered part from this project was the idea that Trevor Paglen included a lot of geometric(lines, circles, triangles) within the nature that does not involve technology. The visual imagery that I’m trying to bring out from this mood board was something that is mathematic and computative(structural/machinery) but also mysterious/dreamlike feelings.
Miller Floor Plans (Iterations)
Storyboards
With this storyboard, I’ve utilized my #4 floor plan.
Sept. 8, 2020 Feedback
Mood Board
During the class, I got a feedback that the lighting mood from my mood board was not clear enough. I should revise/include whether I would aim for the bright, energetic lights or toned down, serious, esthetic lights.
The curvy staircase is hard to be relate with the ‘geometric’ theme that I tried to convey from the author’s projects.
Consider the line between organic/stone difference. Wood based pictures and man-made staircase shows a huge contrast.
Stairs are not relatable to the Miller studio.(should consider about the realistic environment)
Floor Plan
I got advice that I might need more distance between the pieces. Due to this pandemic, touch interactions with the audience will not be an appropriate idea to include as a part of the exhibit. Instead of clicking the screen, try to utilize capturing people’s gesture to select something on the screen.(should also include how people would know how this technology works)
Dividing the entrance might not be suitable for wheel chairs to pass by. Might need enough space for every people to come in/out.
Think about what people can attention to as they walk in on the first sight. How does the exhibition leads the audience to walk through in a certain way. How can the audience be engaged well?
Must think about the area/space that can hold the amount of information at once. Too much information can lead to chaos/misleading and lack of information might lead to boring/un-interesting exhibition. For example, #4 on the storyboard, the wall contains too much. I should come up with alternative idea or decrease the amount of artist’s work to show.
Hybrid Spaces Reflection
What other types of environments are becoming hybrid?
Nowadays, technology is living within our life. We live along with these technology every single day. We use mobile phones with face recognition technology to open and lap top with our fingerprints to open, AI like Alexa and Google that is installed in the house (turn off lights, AC, etc). Not only they’ve allowed people’s life to be more convenient, but also have made the range of technology’s access broader. Using the voice recognition can be the start of becoming hybrid. As the world is developing, the range of recognition is getting wider and wider.
Before, technology was used before just to make our life easier(convenient). For example, people got amused with the idea that we can
Due to the continuous development, technology is now taking a huge part. We can even see our educational methods are becoming hybrid. Virtual experience from the early age became a normal life and part of our living. Students use ipad to take a class and can even participate more actively by using 3D/virtual apps.
In my experience, hybrid is actually being part of my life because my school started to create a 3D/VR course for a future students. Even though I haven’t taken the class, I was surprise how fast the technology evolvement are happening around us.
Parti Diagram (Iteration #1)
Revised Mood Boards
For this new mood board, I focused on more toned downed colors so that I can express more curious/mysterious vibes that the artist tries to give within his project. The lighting effect that I would like to utilize in this gallery is called ‘stereoscopic/neon’ style. I feel like this style successfully leads to the mysterious vibe that I(and the artist) try to express.
Reflecting last class’s feedback, I tried to get rid of the uncertain line between nature(tree colors)and technology but leaned more towards the space-like concept. Just as I mentioned before, I also tried to come up with a mysterious/dreamlike mood so that the audience can be easily attracted to the art piece. As the audience walks through the gallery, they will encounter several interaction spaces where people can participate. The top middle picture partially represents how the interacting areas will look like(bright screen and people walking across). Because Trevor Paglen has very mysterious/obscure artworks that I thought it would be great to create the gallery with dark-toned colors and highlights with certain colors for some parts.
Sept. 9, 2020 Feedback
Revised Floor Plan
“Near Tahoma…” art piece too much in the middle of the space where the wall will block the audience’s pathway. Which means there might be not enough space for people to stand around.
Placing the first interaction that is right next to the elevator might be not a good idea to place it. People waiting for the elevator and people waiting for the interaction might be mixed(too crowded) Alison also suggested the idea of presenting the artwork and then showing the interaction so that the audience will know what it is about and what to do.
Aligning the wall of the info section with the front door will create more continuous walkway paths.
There’s limited amount of space that we can place the objects/ideas. (miller gallery is not that huge) People have to think about more carefully about the safety parts too.
Revised Parti Diagram/ Floor Plan
All of these interactions will have a motion sensor that when people approaches, it will turn on and when there’s nobody, the lights(that will attract the audience) will turn off.
TinkerCAD
This is the basic idea what I could utilize to any interactions. Depending on whether the audience steps on it or not, the light bulbs will turn on and off. While a person is stepping on it, the lights will be on until he or she moves away. I also thought about this that it could also be used with different colors. For example clicking the left button will turn blue light, clicking the middle button will turn on the red light and etc.
For this one, I tried to show how different light bulbs can continuously /repetitive blink. I thought of this idea because I wanted to utilize this idea when the audience can interact in section #2 on the floor plan(where people can edit artist’s artwork to different colors. I set a delay as 1000 because I did not wanted to stay long on one color. However, I think I could also try setting the delay length little bit longer than it is right now. I got this inspiration by looking/teaching myself through youtube and getting used with this new program.
Depending on where the audience is standing/walking, the light will turn on as the proximity between the audience and the art piece is close. I’ve set up the distance as 250(cm) which is a distance when the lights will turn on. This program could be used for interaction #3 (the wifi section) on my floor plan. The lights, coming from the computer component can be turned on when the audience approaches towards it. For this program, I got the fundamental idea/procedure from Magdiel Lopez, who built this proximity lights.
Create a Physical Model #1
Sept. 15, 2020 Feedbacks
Physical Model
The gallery looks empty because of the composition where artworks are located. Try to think how/why the piece should be located there. The info desk looked fine on the floor plan but on the physical model, it is too close to the front door that might lead the visitor to think it is the ending section and lead them to the right side instead of the left side.
Interactions
Face ID is a good idea / kinda shows the contrast from the beginning(using the technology) and the end(show the computer component that protects the safety from the technology. For example, like people use Snapchat/iMessage filter for face recognition, people can edit at the first interaction.
Designer Role Reflection
How is the role of an architect and an environments designer different?
Looking around us, we can easily see how different/unique the buildings are nowadays and there might be an overlapping aspects that architect and an environmental designer might share. However, there are several difference that makes each departments/aspects unique.
Environmental designer and architect approaches in a similar but different ways. Environment designers first consider about how people can interact, feel, and think with the surrounding. In my perspective, environmental design can be even considered as an aspect that architects also goes through in designing urban environments and buildings, depending on our definition. I also think that environmental designer also deals with non-physical environments that we can’t feel in real life. For example, digital world like VR/AR (hybrid spaces) are the projects that we deal with the real life spacing areas.
Architecture is more specified to building design with consideration of the environment and the landscape, but more focused to the extent that they inform the building design and to which the building design contributes to the environment. I think architects have to consider more about how the buildings can be connected/defined better while environmental designer thinks about the interactions/ relationships. Architects also deals with a lot of reality aspects, like life safety and other licenses that is required.
Revised Floor Plan
- Moved the Wifi area to the wall so that people have more space to walk around and look at the #2 interaction at the same time.
- As I moved the location of the wifi, I got an idea where to write the description about the work. (On the corresponding wall)
Create a Digital Model #1
Detailed Views
If the person stands in front of the machine, right next to the face artworks, and press the button on the floor with their foot, the machine turns on. (here, I’ll utilize the “press -off and on” tinkercad) Here people can see the artwork, with their face collaborated on the empty square space on the screen.
General View
For this digital model, I’ve added the projector area(right blue area) where people can interact with the idea of how geometry exist within the nature. There would be a projector indicating people’s motion and showing on the wall. (like this picture) Random triangles, lines, and circles would be made within the screen.
Sept. 22, 2020 Feedbacks
Digital Model
- Try to view how the space will be displayed in person’s point of view(eye-height)
- Don’t forget to include ‘More information/Visit Carnegie Museum of Art’ to the gallery
General Idea
- My exhibition ideas should not overpower the artist’s works
- Artists are clients!!!!
- Should be careful of creating a whole new part of the project
Visualization
<New Idea for the wall space>
After visitors read the artist’s perspective about the technology that collects our data from ‘About the Artist’ area, they will see this screen with landscapes that Trevor Paglen took. At a first glance, it looks like a normal landscape picture until he or she walks close towards the art piece. There are several lines and circles that the AI measured and drew. People will see how the landscape that is created naturally is calculated and judged based on its’ beauty.
Sept. 24, 2020 Feedbacks
Presentation
- Picture of one section per slide( add a key plan that shows our perspective)
Visualization
- Bring the lightbulbs higher
- Center walls should little bit taller/neutral color that balances blue and purple
- Font little bit smaller/move it upwards
- Add colors to the longer walls (consider adding the artist’s quotes)
- More information on “About the artist” area
- No texts on foot level area (Wifi text should be place higher)
- People should be generally the same height
- People’s head should be on the same perspective and get smaller and they move further
- Try to use magnifying glass/lens (45.00 measurement)
- Blue-Purple color combination is hard to convey the emotion of ‘Danger — Safe’
Final Floor Plan
Camera Area
With the title, “They Took the Faces from the Accused and the Dead…”, I tried to use a camera filming technique to give an uncomfortable environment to the visitors. They have given their consent to the worker for filming but still, get a scary vibe because they don’t have a knowledge where/how it would be used.
Why placed in this area?
The reason I decided to place a camera in this area is that Trevor Paglen talks about how the black-white images of facial recognition’s past when widely available mugshots were used to test and train the technology. I also wanted to point out how this artist tried to show that people’s images are most likely used without their consent or knowledge. It even becomes more disturbing when we learn that they are part of a database of thousands of images fed into the program.
Landscape Area
Crossing a Camera Area, the visitor will encounter the About the Artist Area and then the Landscape section. I intentionally ordered ‘About the Artist’ area as the second place to visit because I wanted the visitors to feel the environment without realizing what it is supposed to mean.
Why these images placed in this area?
After they understand an idea of the artist’s purpose/perspective about technology, they will see these landscape images. All of these are displayed together on the one side of the gallery, beautiful landscape photos until you get closer and see the random lines and circles placed there by a critical artificially intelligent eye/autonomous vehicle software. Because the audience read how the artist thinks about the AI right before seeing the artworks, the effect becomes clear.
Wifi Area
This Wi-fi area is a place where people should feel calm, relief, and safe. Visitors can take out their phone and connect to this Autonomy Cube without worrying about tracking histories and personal data being collected.
Unlike the strong and uncomfortable reddish purple wall paper from the Camera area, the Wifi background wall is warm beige color that makes people feel safer. This area also have a lot of space that people can hang around and take their time to enjoy using the safe/free/secure Wi-fi.
Why placed in this area?
The reason why I place this Autonomy Cube is because I wanted to deliver the artist’s purpose even more clear. If the first two section of the gallery was creating uncomfortable environment and mood about the technology, gathering information, I tried to create the safe/secured environment that how people should be aware of the technology around them. Using this Autonomy Cube Wi-fi that Trevor Paglen created, people will feel free of using internet network and be more knowledgable about the environment.
Final Elevations
Final Interaction Prototypes
Landscape Interaction
For this TinkerCad prototype, I tried to show automatic light change display for the gallery. Every 2 seconds, the light color changes in the order of orange-blue-purple-white with different landscape pictures.
Wi-fi Interaction
Depending on where the visiter is standing or walking, the lights surrounding will be on as long as the proximity between the person and the computer components is within 250cm. The purpose of this interaction is to attract people’s attention. By lighting up the edges of the box, people be lured to the Wi-fi area and read what the artist has to say.
Camera Interaction
This tinkerCad is used as a reminder of ‘Recording’ sign for people to be knowledge of that it is currently being filmed and the screen light turns on as the person approaches or walks by the machine. The proximity light that I’ve set up for this machine is 150cm which is a distance that is not too far or not too close.
Final Physical Model
Self-Reflection |Meta-Cognitive Experience
What motivates you? What distracts you? What keeps you engaged?
As a designer, and in general, I am motivated by thinking about how the design can affect our life either in a physical comfort or mental/emotional aspects. I think the emotional aspects can not be separated from the idea of designing. As a designer, I believe it is important to be aware of different world-views. What I mean by is that I have to think about cultural backgrounds for a wide variety of user bases. I also have to consider how an individual’s values are shaped depending on past and current living experiences. Just like Trevor Paglen’s They Took the Faces from the Accused and the Dead art piece, there was a moment when widely available mugshots were used to test and train the technology without their consent or knowledge. Maybe not even within the technology aspect but there are several(different) aspects that I have to consider as a designer. Figuring out and learning how people can have different mindsets inside them is what also motivates me to work and move.
I often get distracted from working because of myself, trying to recharge energy by spending time by myself. I frequently have to make a separate time to spend alone listening to music and watching movies. Because figuring out about different people’s values, socializing is essential and necessary. I am the type of person who can be extremely introverted and also completely extroverted depending on my energy. When it is a moment for me to refresh and start a new cycle of exploring, I get easily distracted from other things as a designer/person.
I am continuously engaged when there is an excitement towards learning something new and developed. I recently started to learn about how technology is being more part of our life. New features like Mario kart Live: Home Circuit(AR) and immersive digital art exhibitions (https://www.eyesmag.com/posts/130608/laneige-life-oasis) attracts my attention and makes me more engaging from learning different mindsets/ideas of other people. I will consistently try to develop more and more towards my goal to illustrate and understand the universal principles of design into my real life of design/all-day thinking.
