Just Another Practical Dreamer

Layers of time, memory, and culture.

Migration of people, language, experience and tradition.

Since we had talked about the possibility of doing a calligraphy and graffiti piece for Big Screens, I decided to throw up some past work into the screen format to see what it would look like when we projected them at that size into the space.

For interactivity scenarios, we discussed using IR sensors or accelerometers implanted into painting tools–specifically a large calligraphy brush or graffiti spray can or fire extinguisher (the most fun one!)–that performer would then use to “paint” on the screen. Jeff Howard came up with the idea of using IR sensors. Neil Hickey has prototyped a graffiti writing program in Processing. I used the Calligraphy brush to modulate bird songs while painting with real ink in our first semester Phys Comp class.

We also discussed using video of trains–roughly the size of the actual screen itself, on which to paint. The trains could move past as we painted, creating a scrolling effect so that all the viewers would be able to see the paintings emerge as they zoomed by.

Collaboration with Desi WOME, "One World" was commissioned by the City of Oakland Cultural Arts Department.

Pieces from the Calligraffiti Project

Screen shots from the Aswang video project.

I’m also including work from other projects. These are screen shots from a video on the Aswang, ink paintings from “Toes”, “I Love You Like Water” and “Breathless”, as well as shots from the Twilight installation in San Francisco.

Ink Paintings

Images from the Twilight installation at the Sangati