The premise of my project is inspired by a local performer who makes colorful, flexible, and loose-fitting costumes made of spandex blends. The costume completely shrouds the performer, and the performer distorts the fabric from within.
(Gene Thompson)
My project draws inspiration from this performance through the idea of manipulating fabric from within. The robot would be able to perform various movements from within a fabric “costume”. The size would probably vary depending on the movement of the robot, but average around the size of a basketball. It has the potential for multiple performances by having multiple costumes which give its performance new meaning through tightness of fit, color, pattern, and shape.
The result will be “surprisingly animate” in that it won’t have any features associated with humans or animals (eyes, legs, etc.) but it will still be exploring the way it takes up space and moves. The actual mechanism that lives in the costumes could be anything, as long as it can interact with the fabric in an interesting and compelling way.
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