Untethered: Deprogramming and Reprogramming Objects

Normal logic = We control the actions of objects.  Perhaps a more interesting train of thought to follow is: How do objects cause people to behave in certain ways?  Or how might familiar objects evolve to behave in different ways?  The Untethered exhibit at Eyebeam plays with those questions (e.g. a blendie that is activated by human blender sounds, a photocopier that reads astronomy).

A related talk last night on Performing Machines featured some of the work of Jonah Brucker-Cohen, Douglas Repetto, and Adrianne Wortzel.  "Trash" and "trashed" objects were used in new ways to make sounds, movements, and group dynamics.

While de-furred Elmos synchronized to perform a battle salute were eyecatching, it was the concepts of renewed and extended use reflected in Scrapyard Challenge and One Day We Will Be Mysterious that cycled in my mind after the discussion.