4CAST by Mina Zarfsaz and Timothy Belknap, Oct7-the Window on Broad of the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery at the University of Arts, September through October 2018.
About the exhibition:
4CAST uses simple kinetics controlled by a sensor on the street, and AR (augmented reality) to engages the public through interactive elements. These contraptions are the cornerstones of an artwork about absurdity and communication.
Absurdity is a wonderful tool for fearless, humorous, questioning of the world that has the ability to steer clear of certain truths and thus consequences related to those truths. Communication: even when absurd and filled with falsehoods, does not shake loose of its consequences, but constructs a new reality.
Absurdity is a wonderful tool for fearless, humorous, questioning of the world that has the ability to steer clear of certain truths and thus consequences related to those truths. Communication: even when absurd and filled with falsehoods, does not shake loose of its consequences, but constructs a new reality.
The sound component, inspired by the BBC Radio broadcast Shipping Forecast, uses cryptic language to point out social and environmental conditions in various locations within Philadelphia.
Early mechanical animation like that of the Canard Digérateur/Digesting Duck (1739) enlisted the viewers own knowledge of digestion, ducks, and simple physics to coax a reaction of initial disbelief, to genuine curiosity or questioning, and finally a rational conclusion about something absurd. “Does the mechanical duck really digest the food? Yes, maybe, probably not…” The viewers final conclusion isn’t important, it’s the acceptance of the questions that shift the point of view from reality to a augmented reality. Absurdity has always had the power to create new ground for new insight in allowing simple truths to be set aside so that we may find new questions of the world around us. Absurdity allows us to humorously ask, “What if the moon was made of cheese”. “Where would I be if I dug a hole through the center of earth”.
AR Application:
In conjunction with this project we are launches "4Cast Art", an Augmented Reality (AR) application. The project has interactive elements that engages the public through the use of simple kinetics and AR (augmented reality) technology. Viewers were encouraged to download this free AR APP on their phones that revealed imagery unseen by the naked eye. This augmented reality mixed with simple kinetic contraptions are the cornerstones of an artwork about absurdity.
There were instructions at the site for users, at the Rosenwald-Wolf gallery, about how to download and use the app. This app was available for the duration of the exhibition.
For Android: GooglePlay/4Cast Art
For iOS dm us with your email for a link to the Beta Version
For iOS dm us with your email for a link to the Beta Version
If you can't visit the site of the project, click on this image. Point your phone's camera at this die after launching the app, and enjoy the AR component.
DEVELOPMENT PHASE
Development Phase at the Studio