Week 16 Posthumanism

Brief: Letting the function become visible

Group Partners: Judith, Hannah, LuLu, Chun

Day 1

Body Storming of a function from the mobile phone

When people are using the iPhone and having a phone call, there is a sensor function on the screen of the phone. When people put the phone near their ears, the screen will keep dark so that people would not miss touching by their cheeks. However, when they move the phone away from the ear, the screen will sense the light and automatically light up.

Based on this function, our group presented a performance.

Expressing the function of Ukulele

When we get the object, we were confused about the relationship between the player and the object. Then we decided to focus on the chords and music and performer.

If the Ukulele wants to make sounds, then it has to be someone or any individual pluck the strings. Different chords may create different combinations of sounds. Performers play the Ukulele with staves, and they need to have practices to make sure they can play the lyric well. However, even two performers are playing the same stave, and they may express different messages and emotions.

Based on this idea, we made a box full of different strings. Each string has different objects tided at the end. One participant will lift several specific strings first, and he/she will create a story based on the objects which tided at the end. Another participant will look at the same amount of objects and have another story. The point that we tried to express was that even they are looking at an identical amount of objects, they could have different understandings. Both the Ukulele player and audience are listening to the same lyrics; they may have diverse emotions and thoughts.

Day 2

According to the lecturer, we decide to focus more on the material, which made the Ukulele and the function of making sounds.

Materials: wood, nylon, metal

Function: pluck the string➡the string vibrates➡vibration goes through the wood➡the wood vibrate the air and traveled in the hollow body➡vibration got amplified➡vibration came out from the hole in the body

Day 3

Based on our research of the Ukulele, including how did it get invented, why it gets famous and originally from Hawaii, how people use it as an instrument and making performances. We decided to focus on letting participants experience the vibration by using wood and metal.

One

The wood balls will fall due to the gravity, they will bounce inside the hollowed wooden helmet. When they hit the edge of the helmet, the wood will vibrates and create sounds, participants who inside the helmet may be able both hear and feel.

Two

A medal settled on a wood cylinder when people hit it, the vibration would transmit from the medal to the wood and air.

Utilizing the vibration from metal to wood.

Three

We remembered a game which we used to play it a lot when we were both kids.

It's a perfect experiment of showing how sounds get vibrates and transit between different materials.

We thought that could be an inspiration for our project. Transitting sounds and vibration via wood. Then we decompose the function of the Ukulele.

Anything makes sounds.

Any species can hear the sound.

Any species can feel the vibration.

Any species can make movements.

Humans usually think that they are the controller of this world. We create instruments, music, products, and everything. However, animals, bacteria, plants, have existed on this planet for a long time. Our installation would like to emphasize the physical theory of vibration can create sounds, and any living organisms could make vibrations and experience.

Presentation:

This week was short but impressive, both of us enjoyed and put lots of effort into it. Hard work paid off, the final outcome was great. We heard lots of positive feedback from classmates and tutors. They recommend we continue to do some research on non-human users. How would wind experience our installation? That question hit me, still thinking about it...