“An Exploration of Cooperation in Achieving Goals and Creating Art”

Engineer/Artists: Theodor Marcu '20, Annie Chen, Evan Wood

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In this contemporary work, the viewer is encouraged to be a participant, exploring the theme of cooperation. This project is a multi-media work that combines the technical horsepower of motion capture, beautiful wall projections that incorporate user behavior and Perlin noise, and a dynamic Japanese Zen garden to create a complex yet unified depiction of cooperation in a system.

Instructions for Participation:

1. Each participant wears a white cap with a tracker ball attached to the top. This article of clothing will represent the movement of the participant in the space

2. Participants will be split into two groups: objective followers and individual actors

3. Objective Followers will move in the space with the goal of controlling the metal ball inside of the Zen garden. The objective is to keep the ball within the radius of a specified circle.

4. Individual Actors will ignore the movements of the ball, and can instead move freely within the exhibit. However, their movements will also affect the position of the ball.

5. The movement of the participants will also affect the wall projection, which will change the mood and atmosphere of the space.

This work illuminates the idea that each and every person has their own personal objectives in life, and that other people’s actions can cause negative externalities. By exploring how people’s actions impact other people’s lives, this exhibit enables us to be more aware of our surroundings, and to tolerate or even adjust our own actions to accommodate the objectives of our neighbors.