TALK TO ME (and then take a pic)

The other week I attended the MOMA’s latest exhibit, Talk to Me: Design and the Communication between People and Objects. The exhibit focuses on the shift from function to meaning of objects in the way we interact with them.  Each of the (almost 200) objects featured in the exhibit contains information that extends beyond their immediate use or appearance.

Examples range from a few iconic products of the late 1960s to several projects currently in development—including computer and machine interfaces, websites, video games, devices and tools, furniture and physical products, and extending to installations and whole environments – MOMA. 

I’m not going to write about all the pieces featured – you can explore them for yo-self at the MOMA, if you’re in New York, or also in great detail on the interwebs.

Apart from the wonderful collection of interactive objects, the most interesting element of the exhibition is the way that (it’s set up for) people to interact with it.

Each piece is accompanied by a QR code, which viewers are promted to scan for more information.  Upon scanning you’re directed to that concept’s page on MOMA’s website, which in some cases provides enhanced content (such as a brief video) and in other cases reiterates the info already presented in person.

This scanning behavior (for extra/hidden/momentarily unavailable information) draws a parallel with many of the intriguiing pieces featured in the show, which, with a bit of user interaction/participation, unlocks new information, scenes or even worlds.  Some of my favorite ‘revealving’ pieces are: Kageo, “little shadows” that appear in everyday objects; The Haunted Book, which reveals a hidden layer of virtual animation; Notepad, a seemingly regular series of notepads with hidden, microprinted text, and Hide and See, a series of LCD screens that hides information in plain sight.

We all like to peer behind the curtain and image there’s more to things than meets the eye.  As QR scanning continues to blow up, mobile will play an increasingly central role in faciliaitating that exchange.

MoMA PS1 MOVE!

Last Saturday I went to MOVE! at PS1, a two-day event merging the worlds of fashion and art through the collaboration of designers and artists, organized by Cecilia Dean of V Magazine and style journalist David Colman (excuse the delay in posting on this, it's been a busy week)!

The fashion + art extravaganza included "performances and temporary installations presented throughout the building from each of the collaborating designers and artists. Artists and designers include[d]: Kalup Linzy and Diane Von Furstenberg; Rob Pruitt and Marc Jacobs; Terence Koh and Italo Zucchelli (Calvin Klein Collection); Tauba Auerbach and Ohne Titel; Olaf Breuning and Cynthia Rowley; Brody Condon and Rodarte; Rashaad Newsome and Alexander Wang; Dan Colen and Proenza Schouler; David Blaine and Adam Kimmel; Jonah Bokaer and Narciso Rodriguez; CHERYL and American Apparel; and Ryan McNamara and Robert Geller; and TELFAR + Lizzie Fitch, Rhett LaRue, Fatima Al Qadiri, Ryan Trecartin, and Leilah Weinraub" - MoMA PS1

My favorite collaboration was "Looks", an three-room interactive instillation by Marc Jacobs and Rob Pruitt. Guests were greeted at the catwalk by two fashionistas in head sets behind a runway curtain, yelling "come on, come on, are you ready?!" and "you better not waste my time"!  It was a fun performance piece, especially since they actually made me nervous.  Now I know what those poor girls on Project Runway must feel like...

Participants strutted their stuff down a green-screened catwalk and were led to another room, where their walk was mixed into - OMG - a Marc Jacobs fashion show.  

Out of all the rooms at PS1, this was the most interactive - a great use of technology to involve your audience into the work.  Watching Madonna (slash Madonna's projection) watching you walk down the Marc Jacobs runway is pretty fierce.  Hiiiii Madonnaaaaaa!!!  As my friend Brian Maci says, YOU BETTER WERK!