Vested

interactive video and sound installation, 12x19m
2008


Vested is a social portrait of a contemporary phenomenon. Visitors to the installation encounter a military vest on a stand and large video projection of slow moving clouds. An assistant invites visitors to wear the vest and, if desired, helps them put it on. When the vested person walks in front of the projection, a 12 m (39 ft) panorama of international buildings appears. If the person walks left or right, the panorama tracks accordingly while two green spotlights track the person’s movement. Different types of panoramas become active according to the vested person’s distance from the panorama. The panoramas present well-known art museums, political buildings, ancient buildings, towers, churches, and temples. At certain locations near the panorama, video imagery of the vested person is overlaid with the panorama.


 
 



If the vested person presses the red button on the vest, the building panorama is overlaid with large explosions accompanied with sound. Multiple explosions are activated if the person hits the button repeatedly, though the button will be disabled and the cloud imagery will reappear after the explosions have finished. After a 10 second pause, the explosion button is enabled and a new panorama of buildings appears in response to the vested person’s movement.

If the vested person walks to either side of the panorama, the cloud imagery returns and the spotlights scan the room, apparently searching for the vested person. If the vested person does not return to the panorama and places the vest back on its stand, one spotlight illuminates the vest, making it available for another visitor.
 
 








Produced with support from the Canada Council,
the European Media Art Network / EMARE at Werkleitz Center for Media Arts,
and the European Union - Culture 2007-2013 programme