Hybrid Lab 2: Workshop Documentation
Here are the final presentation materials from the participants at the Hybrid Lab 2: 3D Open-source Digital Heritage and Sustainable Technologies Workshop (Helsinki).
Cindy Kohtala:
Juan Duarte:
Justin Tyler Tate:
Maija Demitere:
The Water Garden
Installation, 2015
The exhibition work “The Water Garden” is an end result of my masters study in Liepaja University New Media Art programme. My research questions were – is it possible to make a self-sustaining growing system, that could be used (and adapted) in anyones living space? How to present process-based “slow” media art work in a gallery space?
“The Water Garden” is based on any aquaphonic-type growing system, only instead of using synthetic chamicals to feed plants, I used fish. The fish waste, together with flowing watter (and oxigen in it) can provide all the necessary food for the plants growin in tubes. I can grow tomatoes, salad, kale, spices (anything that doesn’t mind growing indoors and with limited light). The plants produce average amount of fruit.
The failing
As a short-term growing system it needs a lot of power for the growlights and constant attention (feeding the fish and cheching if the tubing doesn’t get blocked). As a long-term system it needs exactly the same level of attention; and in addition – the water (around 300 l) needs to be changed at least once in 2 weeks, because the plants cant filter enough of the biological material.
The roots of plants growing next to each other will eventually get tangled together in a way that makes it impossible to clean the tubes and will start collect a lot of slime and fish waste (and will start to smell of an old and shallow pond).
Rasma:
Black Box failure
Last semester in university we had to learn programming and as usual at the end of our study year we have to make exhibition about the subject that we have been learning. So we had to make something that includes programing in concept with black box (idea of our teacher). I had almost no background in programming and we only had 4 months to learn basic programming thigs, so my project was already destined to fail.
In my mind ocean has always been mystical unknown place so I decided to go with concept of deep deep waters. Even at the beginning when making physical box i ran into some difficulties, but it was noting comparing to the actual programming. I had to connect light sensors with arduino and then send the data to computer. My idea was when you point your light source into the sensor holes, the sounds(recorded at the deepest place in ocean) would start to play, in that way representing exploration of the ocean.
But because of the lack of time and knowledge i didn’t turn my idea to life and couldn’t participate in exhibition. So you can say my black box project was one big failure. But after all I gained more knowledge than in case when everything would have worked out in the first place.
Synne Blomli Johnsen:
What I did not do or spoke of
I failed when I did not even tryto make it
and create it
I failed when I did not trust
my idea and product
I failed when I did not ask for
advice and feedback
I failed when I did not separate good ideas from bad
and made decisions
to follow the “read thread”
ahead
My failure can be recognized as avoiding failure
I have learned that I can share my
ideas and work
Without compromising my frame of design
I recognize that my missing link, my forth leg of the stool
is communication with
my customers and the community
I could use a sparring mate sometimes
I have learned that sharing ideas and experiences within
a community or network
of shared interest
i can learn new things
and maybe even create new things
in a collaboration
Will van Twuijver:
