The Atrium experiment - development

We've come to the Easter holidays, and the undergrads have scattered and left a deserted cityscape of libraries, lecture rooms and student unions. But the Easter break, as it turns out, doesn't apply to post-graduates. So, now is the time for the Isadora kiosk I've been making to be put to the test. Over the course of the last week, before the end of this second term, I acquired a disused wooden unit that can host a screen, which in turn can be connected to a computer running Isadora. I've now got it working, as pictured. 

I'm also going to paint it white, because the DIY look of this piece in the Atrium space would make it look tacky. Given that it looks partially like a plinth, white is the prevailing colour for the gallery setting, and usually makes everything look bold; this piece is no exception. 

What is left to consider here involves the physical application of Isadora with a higher-performance computer, and drilling a hole for the camera to slot inside. Drilling a hole is also due to avoiding the tacky look of the webcam. It's a real art piece that I am effectively doing here, only I'm being quite unofficial about it, because in reality it's an experiment; not a show. Nonetheless, bold aesthetics are nice to have. 

The other issue in that light was concealing the computer that ran the piece itself. When I was testing the piece, I was using an old MacBook Pro with OS 10.6 or 7, and found that the video rendered through the screen was slower than anticipated, even in realtime video capture. The camera connected to it may have also influenced its performance. So, I have endeavoured to borrow a more powerful Mac Suite computer from the sound studio and conceal it within the fake wall of the Atrium. 

Here is a quick illustration for physical description.

Hopefully, by Thursday this coming week, I will have this piece tested and ready in the Atrium space.   The following week will be key in many aspects of this project, especially in technical and interpretive contexts, as the space will be busy again with students, lecturers and the general public. The piece itself will remain there and be maintained, whilst I observe and interpret the engagement of the passerby audience.