Traces - Katja Knecht

Project works Traces and XBeeautiful Dancing (by Nellie Niespodzinski, Aaron Tarnowski) in action. Photo: Jodi Pfister

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_A2Zr0RQ5U

Web:http://cast.ap.buffalo.edu/courses/f09/media_robotics/

In the pursuit of our daily routines we move through real as well as cyber space leaving non-visual traces behind us, a memory of our past physical or virtual presence.

The installation “Traces” uncovered these traces of movement. In addition to visualizing bodily action in space the project also aimed to raise awareness of the issue of tracking itself. The traces and pieces of information we leave behind when surfing the internet or walking in surveilled public space is an important issue for critical discussion in the electronic age.

In the installation, however, users were able to swipe away their traces and regain their anonymity by using a traceable broom. The installation used camera tracking and was realised with Processing.

Traces was developed as part of the production class “Media Robotics I” at the University at Buffalo in Fall 2009 by Katja Knecht and Yuan Qi.

Media Robotics I | University at Buffalo | Fall 2009 | Instructor: Mark Shepard