Exhibits,

Matthew Gingold Circuit

Opening: Tuesday 22 September, 6-8pm Dates: 22 September – 9 October 2009

‘Circuit’ is a new interactive artwork that showcases Victoria’s extraordinary community of independent galleries and artist run spaces.

Created by renowned Australian artist Matthew Gingold, and featuring sculptural elements by Nicole Breedon and bIld Architects this exciting work uses new technologies to link each gallery space via the internet.

Inside each gallery is a handmade Circuit unit with a high tech interior of the latest technologies. As you view the work, specially designed face recognition software will snap an instant photograph of you, projecting your image into the artwork – and eight other Circuit venues across the state.

While visiting Circuit you can also check out the intriguing visual arts programs as curated by each gallery, featuring some of Australia’s most exciting emerging and established artists.

Circuit was a Melbourne Fringe commission in 2009. The work used online resources such as Wikipedia, Amazon, Yahoo and Google images to create faux products, featuring the faces of audience members approaching any of the installations.

Circuit was shown simultaneously at 8 independent and artist run initiatives across Victoria, Australia. These included Allen’s Walk (Bendigo), Arc Yinnar (Yinnar), Westspace, Seventh, Kings, Yarra Sculpture, Off the Kerb and Bus (Melbourne).

Each Circuit installation was unique. Whilst they all contained a webcamera, computer and projector, the ‘sculptural object’/’faux product’ at each venue was completely different. Products included an LP, a CD, book, newspaper, lanyard, billboard and laptop.

When a visitor approached one of the booths, their face was detected and photographed. This also triggered a series of real-time web and API searches for text and images relating to the ‘product’ - many websites were used, with up to 4 different sources for any one ‘product’.

The resulting downloaded data was then used to construct a ‘personally tailored’, semi-random, and totally fake product which was projection mapped onto the sculptural object.

All the photographs of visitors were uploaded to a central server (using FTP) and then distributed back to the other venues. So each visitor not only got to see themselves transformed into a product, but also several other products/visitors from venues across Victoria.

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/24466612