Auto Ink -Chris Eckert

Chris Eckert’s piece ‘Auto Ink’ uses a tattooing machine to explore the way that the truth (or religion) is randomly applied to people at birth. “Auto Ink is a three axis numerically controlled sculpture. Once the main switch is triggered, the operator is assigned a religion and its corresponding symbol is tattooed onto the persons arm. The operator does not have control over the assigned symbol. It is assigned either randomly or through divine intervention, depending on your personal beliefs.” (chriseckert.com)

Says Eckert “this public face of religion is always so certain, self-confident, even arrogant. That anyone could possibly know the “truth” when that truth is randomly assigned at birth is just funny.” I am not sure that this is entirely successful-I have a hard time believing that people would be willing to actually engage with the piece- however I do think that the concept and execution are compelling, and I am interested in the more physical manifestation of the code.

Sonic Body-Harry Neve, Thomas Michalak and Anna Orliac

“The Sonic Body is an audio-installation that uses interactive technology to create an orchestra of the human body. Developed as a collaboration between four interdisciplinary artists and a heart surgeon, the installation brings together art and medical-science to reveal the unheard sounds of the body.” (sonicbody.co.uk) They created a chamber full of sculptural forms which depict parts of the human internal structure. When the viewer interacts with the forms, a series of noises recorded within the human body are sparked and created a sound installation.

The goal of the piece is steeped in the medical tradition of examining the internal structure of the body. The noises that it makes are of interest to both artists and medical professionals. I found the sound aspect of this work very interesting, and while I was initially dubious about the technical execution of the sculpture, I actually really liked the physical forms and the interactions.

V-Fabien Zucco

Fabien Zucco’s installation uses 2 fans prepared programs on Arduino and cardboard. “‘V’ consists of both a generator based on the combinatorial partition of various structural elements music (rhythm, melody …) within the programmed models, as well as a delivery system made ​​up of fans of computers electronically modified. The play is as a hybrid, both material object that writing process open to the variability.” (fabienzucco.net)

For me, the visual simplicity of the fans on the boxes combined with the sound installation really makes this work strong. The repetition of simple, recognizable forms make a compelling abstraction.