ashleyc1- Looking Outwards -1

Although first installed in Japan, 2013, Homogenizing and Transforming World has traveled to Hong Kong and is currently being exhibited in the National Gallery of Singapore. It’s an interactive installation that consists of large, white balls that create sound when a person touches them. When someone interacts with a ball, the ball emits a sound and new color that changes/affects the balls around it until all the balls in the room have changed. The balls have data-collecting sensors and are wirelessly connected to each other. This installation was inspired by the nature of the internet and how everyone is able to contribute and share that overtime affects communication and expands knowledge to others. Like the digital world, this installation is ever-changing and dependent on user interaction.

What I find fascinating about this installation is how simple it is for representing a large concept. It absolutely embodies the essence of the internet and how it is always changing, how quickly our actions can influence our environment and how expansive and infinite the technological world is. I love how the colors and sounds of the balls are calculated responses to the interactions of the person and with the past interaction responses. They’re not making default, automatic colors or sounds. They are truly being altered as more time and interactions occur.

My only critique (and I’m not sure if this may be a feature that documentation just didn’t show) is that it seems like this installation responds to one’s touch at a time. A participant might have to wait till after a change to occur to see how their touch influences the space; rather than having multiple people touch various balls and that form of interaction changes the space in a certain way. In reality, the internet has constant contributors dumping stuff online at once and this installation would be stronger conceptually if it embodied this characteristic as well.

Source:

Teamlab’s website

teamlab’s color-changing floating spheres in singapore respond to human touch

http://www.wetheurban.com/post/161822428609/teamlabs-color-changing-spheres-respond-to-human

http://cuteandkids.com/enjoy/museums-art/art-human-touch-teamlab/