Aparna Rao: High-tech art (with a sense of humor)

TL;DR

In this content, the speaker introduces eight of their collaborative projects with Danish artist Soren Pors, including "The Uncle Phone" and "The Pygmies."

Transcript

Hi. Today, I'm going to take you through glimpses of about eight of my projects, done in collaboration with Danish artist Soren Pors. We call ourselves Pors and Rao, and we live and work in India. I'd like to begin with my very first object, which I call "The Uncle Phone." And it was inspired by my uncle's peculiar habit of constantly asking me to ... Read More

Key Insights

• 📞 "The Uncle Phone" is a unique object inspired by the artist's uncle, who had a habit of relying on others. It requires two people to use and mimics the design of a landline phone.
• 📧 The artist also made a golden typewriter for their uncle to send commands via email. This device blends mechanics with digital technology, providing a grand and ritualistic experience.
• 🔉 "The Pygmies" is a sound-sensitive installation consisting of panels hiding over 500 small creatures. These creatures react to silence by appearing and stretching their necks, and hide again at the sound of noise.
• 👻 "The Missing Person" explores invisibility through camera surveillance technology. Using custom software, one person in the room is constantly erased in real-time, creating a sense of invisibility.
• 🌞 "The Sun Shadow" is an object that seemingly appears weak but climbs up the wall in a jerky fashion when ignored. It collapses in exhaustion, challenging expectations of strength and fragility.
• 🎩 "The Upside-Down Man" is a mechanical object that moves in a drunken, unpredictable and slow manner. It slowly lifts itself up when activated by a viewer, evoking a sense of wanting to help.
• 🌌 "The Twinkling Night Sky" combines fiber optics with a teddy bear shape to create the illusion of looking out into a sparkling universe. It juxtaposes the cold and distant with the comforting and intimate.
• ⬜️ "Space Filler" is a work in progress that features a cube constantly expanding and contracting as people move around it. It creates a dynamic presence and suggests the concealment of a secret.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired the creation of "The Uncle Phone"?

The artist was inspired by his uncle's habit of constantly asking him to do things for him, which he saw as a form of control. This prompted him to create "The Uncle Phone" as a gift to his uncle.

Q: How does "The Uncle Phone" work?

"The Uncle Phone" is designed to be very long, requiring two people to use it. It functions similar to a traditional phone, but the user has to manipulate a mechanical interface. The device then converts the user's commands into digital emails that are sent to the intended recipients.

Q: What is the concept behind "The Pygmies" installation?

The concept behind "The Pygmies" installation is to create a sense of being surrounded by a tribe of shy, sensitive, and sweet creatures. The installation consists of panels on three walls, behind which over 500 small pygmies hide. These pygmies react to sounds, stretching out when it's silent and hiding at the slightest noise.

Q: How was the sense of invisibility explored in "The Missing Person"?

In "The Missing Person," the artists wanted to explore the concept of invisibility. They collaborated with a company specializing in camera surveillance to develop software that could track and replace a person with the background, rendering them invisible. The installation allowed people to see themselves in a monitor, with one person constantly invisible.

Q: How does "The Sun Shadow" interact with viewers?

"The Sun Shadow" is a sheet of paper-like cutout that appears weak when viewed from the side. As viewers pass by, it starts to climb up the wall in a jerky fashion, appearing strong and robust from the front. It collapses from exhaustion, creating an unexpected interaction and surprising viewers.

Q: How does "The Upside-Down Man" move?

"The Upside-Down Man" moves in a drunken fashion on his head, with his body growing out of him like a plant. It is constrained by a circular path, causing it to move in an unpredictable and slow manner. When viewers enter the room, it activates, slowly climbing up and appearing as though it may fall, creating a moment of tension and the instinct to help.

Q: What is the concept behind the fur-covered installation?

The fur-covered installation aims to contrast the cold and abstract nature of the universe with the familiarity and comfort of a teddy bear shape. Tiny fiber optics embedded in the fur twinkle like the night sky, creating the perception of looking out into the vastness of space. It seeks to evoke both comfort and awe in viewers.

Q: How does "Space Filler" interact with viewers?

"Space Filler" is a cube that constantly expands and contracts, creating a dynamic interaction with viewers as they move around it. The object appears as though it is trying to conceal a secret within its seams. The constant morphing of its size and shape adds a sense of mystery and intrigue to the experience of encountering the installation.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker, in collaboration with Danish artist Soren Pors, presents eight projects, including "The Uncle Phone," a golden typewriter, and "The Pygmies," a sound-sensitive installation.

• Another project, "The Missing Person," explores the concept of invisibility using camera surveillance and software to track and replace a person with the background.

• The speaker also showcases works like "The Sun Shadow," "The Upside-Down Man," a fur-covered teddy bear, and a dynamic object called "Space Filler" that expands and contracts in response to human interaction.