Deep Space 8K: Cooperative Aesthetics

Fri 9 September 2016, 1:30PM-2:30PM
Sun 11 September 2016, 5PM-6PM

Ars Electronica Center
Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/arselectronica/28680623381/in/photolist-KGpG7z

Cooperative Aesthetics is an exhibition by Gerhard Funk (AT) of a collection of programs designed to enable audiences to enjoy collective audiovisual experiences. The intention is to transform Deep Space into a setting in which visitors can move about freely and thereby influence the visual output of the wall and floor projections and the sounds audible in the space. Visitors are meant to playfully explore the phenomena triggered and controlled by their movements. In doing so, they come into contact with others in the space; they can mutually coordinate their movements, develop small choreographies, and thus create a shared aesthetic experience of space.

For the works screened by *Cooperative Aesthetics*, the emphasis isn’t so much on their character as a game with a clearly defined objective, but rather on playfully exploring possibilities together with others. And if there is such an objective, then the point is to achieve it by cooperating with others and not by competing against them. Accordingly, this isn’t only an aesthetic experience, it’s also an exercise in group Dynamics.