I was interested in watching the video of One Hundred and Eight by Nils Volker because its description said that it made use of arduino, processing, and garbage bags: all things that we have access to and that we are learning to use (I assume we are all familiar with trash bags, already). The first thing that hit me with this piece is how organic it is. The pace and motion of the garbage bags inflating and deflating seemed to mimic human inhalation and exhalation, and it made watching it engaging and relatable. The piece is almost alive. From the description, I was expecting the piece to react to the audience’s presence more dramatically, or noticeably than it does. I do like, however, that it seems to stop, think, and then follow a viewer’s presence, almost like the living work has been caught off-guard and must become attentive to its surroundings now.

One Hundred and Eight – Interactive Installation from Nils Völker on Vimeo.