Scrapyard Research

An evening with Jonah Brucker-Cohen and Katherine Moriwaki.

21 Jun 2006

Virtueel Platform has invited New York-based artists Jonah Brucker-Cohen and Katherine Moriwaki to perform one of their famous Scrapyard Challenge workshops in Amsterdam. Both will be finishing their PhD research this year at the Networking and Telecommunications Research Group (NTRG), Trinity College Dublin. On the eve of the workshop there will be an opportunity to hear about the projects that have played a key role in their research.

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Deconstructing Networks

Jonah Brucker-Cohen will discuss his work on the theme of ‘Deconstructing Networks’ in both physical and online instantiations. He will present projects that attempt to critically challenge and subvert accepted perceptions of network interaction and experience, from software manipulation and rule-based systems to translating virtual processes and conventions into the physical world. These projects include BumpList, an email community for the determined, Alerting Infrastructure!, a website hit counter that destroys a building, PoliceState a fleet of radio controlled police cars whose movements are dictated by keywords sniffed on a local network, and SimpleTEXT a performance that is controlled by participants through texting messages from their mobile phones.

Projects and work: www.coin-operated.com/projects
Blog: www.coin-operated.com

Socially Fashioned Networks

Katherine Moriwaki will discuss her work on "socially fashioned" networks, utilizing a combination of wearable technologies, varying degrees of network infrastructure, and social behaviour for deployment and propagation. Unlike fixed networks, spontaneous ad-hoc networks rely upon mobile and flexible infrastructure that can dynamically reconfigure based on necessity and circumstance. As these communication devices are integrated into intimate personal objects, such as accessories and clothing, the statement that "the people are the network" becomes increasingly resonant. This presentation focuses on the projects "RECOIL", "Inside/Outside", "Oscillating Windows" and "Umbrella.net." These serve as examples of "socially fashioned" networks.

Projects and Work: www.kakirine.com