Title: Cinesthesis: cross-modal and cross-cultural perceptions of the Aurora Borealis for the design of an interactive installation

Authors: Veroniki Korakidou, Bettina Schuelke, Nina Czegledy

Addresses: New Technologies Laboratory in Communication, Education and the Mass Media, Communication and Media Department, University of Athens, Athens, Greece; 29, Ag. Theressias str., 141 22 Athens, Greece. ' Facultuly of Art and Design, University of Lapland, Finland; Zieglergasse 75/21, A-1070 Wien, Austria. ' KMDI, University of Toronto, Concordia University, Montreal; #504, 300 St. Clair Ave. West Toronto, M4V 1S4 Ontario, Canada

Abstract: |Cinesthesis| is a project aiming to present a |poetic| interpretation of the Aurora Borealis for the design of an interactive installation. This installation explores also a vocabulary of correspondences between human movement, sound, words and abstract light images that are based on research on language, synaesthesia and metaphor. This installation is going to be realtime animated by its visitors. The technological innovation of this project is the development and presentation of a |smart| luminescent textile with integrated proximity sensors that will create an |Aurora effect|. Finally, this art project conceptualises the creative process followed by the participating artists and researchers who come from different art disciplines and cultural backgrounds as they have been communicating online for more than one year for the development of their project and also aims to engage the visitors in a mediated communication process that allows for their participatory action.

Keywords: Aurora Borealis; gaze; interactive installation; networked environment; smart textiles; language; synaesthesia; metaphor; cross-cultural perceptions; art installations; installation design; real time animation; technological innovation; luminescent textiles; proximity sensors; mediated communication; participatory action.

DOI: 10.1504/IJART.2009.024061

International Journal of Arts and Technology, 2009 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.112 - 128

Published online: 24 Mar 2009 *

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