n-cha(n)t

2002

David Rokeby (CA)

Prix Ars Electronica 2002, Golden Nica / Interactive Art

A group of network-linked computers forms acoustic associational chains out of words, phrases and sentence fragments that it picks up from visitors and develops further in free-form fashion. If the computers are able to 'speak' with each other for a while without interruption, they lapse into a sort of chant. If they are interrupted by visitors, the chorus develops into a conversational chaos like at a party.