SECOND PRIZE
Ruairi Glynn
Reino Unido, 2008
About the project
In Performative Ecologies, Ruairi Glynn takes an architects view of interactive installations as responsive, adaptive environments. While employing a now conventional array of components - motorized structures and lighting elements, camera based sensing, real-time computing and human visitors - Performative Ecologies moves beyond conventional behavioral modalities in provocative ways. A number of separate, autonomous agents, comprising a sensing 'head' and a behaving 'tail' detect viewers and perform for them, gauging their success in capturing the attention of their chosen subject. The sensing system deploys camera based machine vision, not simply to detect or track the presence of a subject, but to deduce attentiveness. The agents compete for the subjects attention, becoming increasingly 'expressive' - even 'overacting'. The behaviors of the agents are not pre-scripted, but are originated by the agents and are constantly evolving through genetic algorithms which rate each behavior against the attention of the viewer as a fitness criterion. The agents also check their success against the success of their fellow devices. Through this combination of physical manifestation and real-time computational techniques, Performative Ecologies moves beyond more simple reactive paradigms which have become standard fare in interactive installation, but which amount, most commonly, to little more than virtual button pushing. Here Glynn succeeds in three related goals which together are something of a holy grail for researchers in robotic arts - to develop a system in which agents change and develop as a result of their experience; to share their knowledge with each other; and to make that learning and exchange directly and immediately sensible by humans. The artist notes: 'Each operates autonomously, but as part of the larger ecology, share their knowledge and contributes to the performative qualities of the environment as a whole'.
Career
Operating between the fields of architecture and digital media, I build reactive and interactive installations & sculptures exploring an understanding of interaction based on ecological and social models of evolution, and conversation. Through this I examine new forms of human and technological interaction based on participation, exchange and negotiation rather than more traditional models of human computer interaction in which human is master and technology is slave.
Trained as an architect following an earlier career in interactive arts, I currently split my practice between production of public art installations, teaching, curation and writing. Over the past three years I have built the largest online resource dedicated to spatial interaction www.interactivearchitecture.org where you can find many of my works and that of other artists, architects and designers who have inspired me. Just as the work I present here in this submission explores conversation. My practice is about not just producing my work in isolation but rather forming it out of a continual conversation with a range of disciplines and practioners from material science through to product and sculptural design, through to mobile robotics and kinetic architecture.
I am a Lecturer in Adaptive Architecture and Computing at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London and a Lecturer at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of Arts London on the MA Textile Futures and MA Industrial Design programmes. I have also guest lectured, run workshops and been a visiting critic to architecture, art and interaction design schools including the Delft faculty of Architecture (Netherlands), the Institute of Digital Art and Technology (UK), the Interactive Institute (Sweden), the Angewandte Vienna (Austria), the Architectural Association (UK), EID Sao Paulo (Brazil) and the University of Sydney (Australia).
Some of his most remarkable exhibitions have been: “Emoção Art.ficial” - Instituto Itaú Cultural, Sao Paulo, Brazil 2008, “Pask Present” - Atelier Farbergasse Gallery, Vienna, Austria 2008, “Europrix“ - Kunsthaus, Graz, Austria 2007, “Expanding Bodies” – New Scotland, Canada 2007, “Maverick Machines” - Matthew Architecture Gallery, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 2007, “NodeLondon” - Area 10, London, United Kingdom, 2006, “Research Spaces” - Slade Gallery, London, United Kingdom, 2005, “Submerge” - Design Festival, Bristol, United Kingdom, 2005.
He has been winner of prestigious awards such as: ‘European Top Talent Award for Digital Media’, Europrix, Winner. 2007, ‘Hamilton Award’ for “Design Excellence”, Bartlett Summer Show, Winner. 2007, ‘Distinction for Design Award’ Bartlett School of Architecture. 2007, ‘European Top Talent Award for Digital Media’, Europrix, Finalist. 2005, ‘Innovation Award’, Submerge Design Festival, Winner. 2005, ‘Tektonix Innovation Award’, Winner. 2004, Academic Awards, ‘Best Paper’ at the 19th European Meeting of Cybernetics and Systems Research 2008, ‘Best Paper’ at the Symposium ‘The Cybernetics of Cybernetics’ 2008, ‘Distinction for Thesis Award’ Bartlett School of Architecture. 2007
Curatorships: ‘Interactive Architecture & Media‘ : Eyebeam, New York, United States 2007, ‘Rip Mix Burn’ Cultural Industries Redefined : Conference, Plymouth Arts Center, United Kingdom 2005, ‘Disconnected_Communities’ : Exhibition, Plymouth, Plymouth Arts Center, United Kingdom 2003.