Mx.D.P

Blimey that was a lot of work!

Two Weeks of Tech: A Cross-Discipline XD Artist’s Journey. In the realm of XD artistry, the pursuit of ironic materiality, acquisition of new skills, and exploration of unconventional art forms is a constant endeavour.

My art practice extends beyond creating art. It aims to foster collaborations, generate innovative ideas, and expand The Network within creative communities to Save the Earth.

The challenge of protecting the environment while engaging in artistic pursuits often presents a unique juxtaposition.

This past two weeks, my exploration of technology led me down a path filled with 360-degree cameras, bandwidth considerations, glitches, time-travelling costumes, and the realisation my old iPhone 7 wasn’t up to tech snuff and needed replacement, something I don’t like to do!

Though this new one is nice!

Live streaming the Happens event was a labour-intensive task for seemingly little gain, but that wasn’t the case; instead, it was an enriching experience for me, and it helped others.

I not only acquired valuable knowledge of new tech and streaming software. I also established new physical connections that may pave the way for future collaborations and contribute to the growth of the art festival in Borth and projects at CSM.

While I meticulously tested the technological aspects of the Happens event, I overlooked the possibility of technical glitches on the receiving end. This oversight highlighted the importance of understanding the intricacies of event management and prioritising the needs of all participants versus running a complex experimental event.

The realisation that navigating the online world can be challenging for some individuals underscored the disparity in comfort levels with technology.

Effective control of media and communication of requirements emerged as crucial factors during the event. It became evident that celebrating small victories and remaining adaptable to evolving mental models are key to navigating any digital landscape. The streams reached over 600 people by the end of the day. I could have used embedding tech for web pages and taken them to TikTok, but I didn’t, as I wasn’t sure where that process took place, and I was concerned with latency on the stream.

Despite the challenges, it was fun, and I am becoming addicted to my stick-on moustache. I was most peeved when it fell off during the interview! I need stronger glue. I look at myself wearing it, and I feel quite euphoric; without it, I sense a gender dysphoria I never thought I would experience, which has been emotional. I will have to process that before I can reflect on it here.

Each experience serves as a stepping stone towards creating a more inclusive and innovative artistic personal journey as well as community.

Embracing the dynamic nature of technology and its impact on art is not only a journey of self-discovery but also a catalyst for fostering creativity and collaboration within the ever-evolving cultural future. This is an apt sentiment for this project, and I will be taking the lessons learned here into my Eco-networking project. I reflect on that learning in my splat diagram here…