Act/React

Artists today are working to stretch the boundaries of their respective mediums. Not necessarily being about technology, artists turn towards it and use it in an effort to better activate spectators. The “Act/React” exhibit currently at the Milwaukee Art Museum exhibits contemporary artwork which focuses on the interactivity between the spectator and respective artwork, resulting in fresh and intuitive experience for the viewer. The two installments I enjoyed the most were Daniel Rozin’s “Peg Mirror” and Scott Snibbe’s “Boundary Functions”.
Mirrors have been around for seemingly forever and aren’t typically seen as being anything special. People normally wouldn’t play around and interact with a traditional mirror which makes Rozin’s “Peg Mirror” stand out. The mirror itself is quite large and comprised of hundreds of pegs which mechanically rotate to fit the viewer’s image. As the viewer moves, the pegs follow. The engineering of the piece is quite impressive as it relies on a camera response system which triggers the peg movement. The mechanism of the piece and its function seem relatively complicated and impressive. Rozin’s “Peg Mirror” may help people see themselves in a different way than previously imagined, perhaps more in tune with the natural world as I did seeing my own image in wood. The wooden pegs, combined with the mechanical nature of the piece provide an interesting contrast between the natural world and the digital one.
Scott Snibbe enables the spectator’s body as an interface with “Boundary Functions”. A lone person moving across the pad conjures no reaction from the piece. The piece starts to function once another person joins the square, and those within it are divided by a digital line on the floor. No matter how hard you try, you cannot cross these boundaries. They follow the participant’s movements, always outlining their respective personal space. When one makes physical contact with another in the square, the boundary between them dissolves. I believe this to be a social message Snibbe wanted to get across, that maybe together we can bring down barriers.
“Act/React” and other interactive art exhibits are coursing responses from spectators in a way they aren’t traditionally used to. In testing the rules and boundaries for these pieces, people are willing to act in such a way that wasn’t previously acceptable in an art gallery, like running around and jumping up and down. “Act/React” invites us all to interact and experience the pieces in a physical manner. It is refreshing to see this trend of interactivity in art and even more fun experiencing it.