By William Lamkin
Cut is an experiment in creating an interactive work with permanent consequences exacted on the piece by the audience member. Intended for use by one person in a private space, a piece of cardstock has printed on it a branching pathway for the participant to cut along using scissors, along with pieces of texts that instruct which pathways to cut down. Attached to the surface at various points along this branching surface are pieces of a conductive material (such as aluminum foil or conductive tape). These are connected to a logic chip or an Arduino, allowing for these connections to be turned off when bisected by scissors. The participant will have to choose where they cut carefully, and as they cut, these severed connections have lasting changes on an ambient piece of music in the background, made either through Analog circuitry or an mp3 sampler chip like DFPlayer Mini. This musical part is what ties this more to my musical side – I love interactive music and as for what led me to this, I’ve always found destructive art fascinating. There’s more stakes for the participant. Choice is important and I want to illustrate that in this piece!
Bill of materials:
  • Cardstock/Cardboard (already have)
  • Aluminum Foil (already have)
  • Glue/Tape (already have
  • Scissors (already have this)
  • Logic chip(s) (part of take home kit)
  • Possibly Arduino/alligator clips (already have this)
  • small loudspeaker (already have)