PLAY ME
An interactive audio/video installation by Stephanie Houten & Darren Cole
"Play Me" was an audiovisual installation in the Massachusetts College of Art & Design's All School Show for the Studio for Interrelated Media department on March 23rd, 2017. It won one of two awards for best works in the department show.
360 video documentation of the work (see second video below) was installed in the MassArt President's Gallery for the All School Show Awards Exhibition, which was up from March 27th to April 7th.
The interactive part of the piece was comprised of two MIDI controllers and headphones placed on a pedestal. Four blank monitors faced the user, housed within a small, cubby-like space that was lined with black curtains. The user was encouraged by the artists, who were present, to put on the headphones and play with the controllers.
Pressing a button or key on the MIDI controllers triggered a video clip that would play on one of the monitors, and with it, a sound effect would play in the headphones.Two monitors were linked to one MIDI controller, with the other two to the second controller.
This interactive piece resulted in experimental musical collaboration between friends and strangers, as well as individual experiences. The sequential "jamming" that took place, both audibly and visually, sparked intrigue in passing gallery visitors, and users had different approaches in their "playing" - some waited for privacy, some played with strangers, and others put on both sets of headphones, playing by themselves.
Video documentation of "Play Me"
360 interactive documentation of "Play Me" (open in 360 video supporting browser, such as Chrome, for full experience)
