body interface

1. body interface project ii: process EXQUISITE CORPSE EXERCISE drew pictures and discussed ideas built on ideas association, stream-of-consciousness INITIAL IDEAS clash cultures idea of drawing, mark-making iconography, symbolism, meaning

2. body interface project ii: summary PROJECT PROPOSAL project randomized tattoos on people outside ofunion square park using processing SOCIAL GROUP/CULTURE tattoo cultures (“biker,” “prison,” “tribal,” etc.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKNAqoT6K64&feature=related LOCATION union square park near retail stores, subway, schools, restaurants, etc. diverse mix (in terms of age, race, gender, etc.) of people, busy. SIGNIFICANCE (de certeauian idea) -tattoos as exercising agency against -structure of the body -tattoos as marks of “ownership” -body as surface, interface -permanence of tattoos

3. body interface project ii: research UNION SQUARE PARK

4. body interface project ii: research “Tattoos have been used for centuries to reflect changes in life status, whether passage into adulthood or induction into a group like the military or a gang. In recent years, tattoos have also become a fashion accessory, a trend fueled by basketball players, bands and celebrities. A report by the Food and Drug Administration estimated that as many as 45 million Americans have tattoos. The report based the number on the finding by a Harris Interactive Poll in 2003 that 16 percent of all adults and 36 percent of people 25 to 29 had at least one tattoo. The poll also found that 17 percent of tattooed Americans regretted it. And a tattoo that cost several hundred dollars could require several thousand dollars and many laser sessions to remove.” — NEW YORK TIMES, 2004 http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/t/tattoos/index.html “Humans have marked their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years. These permanent designs—sometimes plain, sometimes elaborate, always personal—have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment.” “tattoos,” by cate lineberry http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/tattoo.html?c=y&page=3 “The important part is the meaning behind the marks. “Blank skin,” the photographer says, “is merely a canvas for a story.” Rainier has documented these stories in dozens of cultures across the globe. In New Guinea, a swirl of tattoos on a Tofi woman’s face indicates her family lineage. The dark scrawls on a Cambodian monk’s chest reflect his religious beliefs. A Los Angeles gang member’s sprawling tattoos describe his street affiliation, and may even reveal if he’s committed murder. Whether the bearer is a Maori chief in New Zealand or a Japanese mafia lord, tattoos express an indelible identity.” “They say, ‘this is who I am, and what I have done,’” Rainier says. “looking at the world's tattoos,” by abigail tucker, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Looking-at-the-Worlds-Tattoos.html?c=y&page=2#ixzz14015IzPz

5. body interface project ii: precedence FACE PROJECTIONS melvin sokolsky BOWIE CAM http://vimeo.com/5216465 open frameworks face tracking TATTOO ARTISTS AND DESIGNS kat von d, mr. cartoon

6. body interface project ii: materials COMPUTER, PROCESSING PROJECTOR VIDEO CAMERA

7. body interface project ii: rendering PROJECT ARTICULATION providing instruction set (tattoo projections) for strangers (in union square park) to engage with. diverse strangers can experience the virtual application of tattoos. via this project, tattoos become temporary, site-specific, and painless. tattoos, historically defined as profound marks, become –via this project—easy, almost universal fashion accessories.