May 3-7, 2005
Thesis Presentations
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| People as Pixels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Author(s): | Amos Bloomberg | |
| Instructor: | Hechinger, Nancy | |
| Class: | Final Project Seminar (Wed.) | |
| URL: | http://www.wakszlabic.com/mobscene/AmosThesis.pdf | |
| This is a thesis in two parts. The first is an attempt to formalize the relationship between virtual network behavior, and physical behavior of crowds of people. The second is an argument for the interlinked decentralization of both technological networks and crowds that use them as an art form – the cultural origins of this trend towards decentralization, and potential future approaches towards a stated goal of turning people into pixels, and turning a moving crowd into a moving image.
The overview of models of crowd and network behaviors is purely a research endeavor. Various models from several different fields are discussed, and several prior projects using crowd behavior as an artistic medium are then analyzed using these models. The argument for decentralization of both crowds and networks as an art form is based on contemporary views of complex adaptive systems and pop media. Analyses by media critics and theorists are used contrary to their intended purposes to justify an interest in pop media and disposable reality television culture. An attempt is made to find a way to turn people into pixels. In the finishing pages, the success of this work is evaluated. Our conclusions are seen to be promising but incomplete. The research stands on its own as a source for future reference, the goal of turning people into pixels and turning a moving crowd into a moving image is not yet attained. And we leave some open-ended questions about the worthiness of such a project. | ||