keuchuka – Looking Outwards 01

‘A Musical Wall where Little People Live’ is an interactive exhibition projected on a wall that responds to physical objects placed onto the wall. Depending on the type of the object that has been attached, the little people projected on the wall will slide, jump, or climb on. Different tones are also played when different types of objects are placed on to the wall, as well as when the little people interact with such objects.

This project is effective in its simplicity. Little children understand what objects do to the little people and are able to play with them easily, even though the objects and the little people seem to live in two different realms. The engagement of different senses also produce a wonderful sense of delight.

This installation signals an integration of the physical world and the virtual. The objects are “real” and the little people are merely projected, but they interact well together with logic that determines the tones they produce. The technology helps us rethink and expand the field of art in a few ways. It suggests the scale of virtual space created can expand within a relatively small physical space, allowing us to understand and be part of the virtual world in a creative way as well. It also means that we are able to easily manipulate the art around us, making it ultra subjective. A suggestion may be to encourage the use of physical touch as well.

teamLab (the artist collective) is mostly interested in how one experiences space and how to change that. It was founded in 2001 by Inoko, who gathered programmers, engineers, and designers for a digital agency. They believe “The digital realm, free from physical constraints, allows for unlimited possibilities of expression and transformation. Digital technology is a tool for change and a platform to express complex ideas and details.”