triggers to entice an audience to ‘perform as interface’ in an interactive installation

Triggers to Entice an Audience to ‘Perform as Interface’ in an Interactive Installation

Monday  14  November  16   1

Lisa U. Simon1, Marloeke van der Vlugt2, Licia Calvi1

1NHTV University of Applied Sciences, Breda (NL) 2Research Center Performative Processes HKU University of the Arts, Utrecht (NL) http://www.marloekevandervlugt.com/

Marloeke van der Vlugt Lisa Simon

Table of Contents

What I will do is to:

–  introduce the JUMP_CHAIR_CHUTE installation

–  discuss what it means for an audience to “performance as interface”

–  talk about the factors that trigger this aesthetic experience

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Perform as Interface

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Marloeke van der Vlugt: CHAIR_JUMP_CHUTE (2016)

©Photographer  Hanne  Nijhuis

The Performance

In this artistic installation:

–  each wearable (in combination with

the interactive stage) is associated to

a variety of music clips

–  each wearable and soundclip trigger

different movements

–  each wearable moves the parachutes

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Marloeke van der Vlugt: CHAIR_JUMP_CHUTE (2016)

©Photographer  Hanne  Nijhuis

The Rationale

Why?

–  to discuss the influence of new technologies on our experience of the

world, the body of the audience has become the relevant space for

actual theatrical and performative experiences

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Performing as Interface

The experience for the players:

–  is not only an oscillating movement between immersion and detachment

–  this oscillation is rather experienced as a continuously shifting power relation

between participant, viewer and installation, as an exploration, as the

awakening in the audience of a desire to be engaged in the interaction, in

stimulating reflection on oneself in relation to the technology/installation/world

This is what it means to “perform as interface”

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The Experimental Design

A mixed method research:

–  Observations in the semi-public setting of a cultural institute over a 5-day

festival

•  41 people were observed

–  Questionnaire divided into 3 parts to cover the before, during and after

experience

•  an adaptation of the PLEX cards

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What we did

The Results

From the content analysis, these themes emerged:

–  Embarrassment in Public

–  Internal versus External Motivation

–  Curiosity

–  Aesthetic Experience

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Four themes

Embarrassment in Public

Dual feelings:

–  no explicit mention of feeling embarrassed while performing in public

–  some hesitation by the people in the restaurant below the banister

•  caused by the difficulty to distinguish between the aesthetic and

instrumental experience

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Internal v/s External Motivation

Equally important:

–  external motivation: vicarious observations and triggers or invitation by

others

•  also in the choice of the wearable

–  internal motivation: interaction possibilities and curiosity

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Curiosity

Curiosity was triggered by:

–  Exploration

–  Humor

–  Discovery

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Aesthetic Experience

Influenced by:

–  visual appearance of the installation

•  parachutes movements

•  sound

–  results in a pleasing experience that offers more performing opportunities

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Discussion

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We found that:

–  all motivation factors (internal and external) must be present

–  curiosity is present before during and after the interaction

–  curiosity is amplified in open-ended play, which unfolds through the

performance

–  social embarrassment was not a major barrier to perform

–  inherent difficulty to perform due to the purely physical experience

Conclusion

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General findings

We noted that:

–  some perceived thresholds - like other people watching, physical

challenges or “apparative resistance” (Kwastek, 2009) - give meaning

and depth to the interactive experience

–  motivation and curiosity allow participants to become fully, mentally and

physically, engaged with the installation.

Thank you!

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Licia Calvi Calvi.L@nhtv.nl