Tribes and Machines is an exhibition of collected work from MA Interaction Design Communication at the London College of Communication, UAL. The students exhibiting their work have been conducting projects researching niche communities as well as speculating on alternative forms of technological progress outside of the hegemony of capitalist production. The projects presented span from kinetic artworks examining psychological conditions to object-oriented attempts to communicate with the Earth; from speculations about a theology of AI to games aimed at tackling everyday sexism.
The variety of projects all center on a curious criticality and a fascination with the relationship of people and things: how do we read and respond to a world mediated by technologies and how can designers do a better job of making this mediation richer and healthier?
MA Interaction Design Communication is a future-facing interdisciplinary radical design studio based at the London College of Communication, UAL. The work we do spans design, art, people and things and places critical practice at the center of contemporary debates about politics, society and technology. Founded on classic notions of interaction design and material culture, the course extends in all directions to film, performance, physical computing, installation, VR and product design in order to enquire about the construction of human and non-human experience of the world through rigorous research methods.
Robotic Carbon Fish
Li (Lili) Lihua (CN)
The Robotic Carbon Fish is a speculative proposal for a domestic carbon capture system.
CitiSphere
Qi (Tom) Deng (CN)
CitiSphere is a city-scale design practice project starting from the notion of Atmosphere-Centered Design. It speculates that domes cover major cities globally, able to seal the cities completely.
Collision Gears
Mingyi Qian (CN)
This project is a self-destructive machine created through research on materials and self-destructive forms.
Ctrl
Michael Sedbon (FR)
In this setup, 10 Physarum Plycephalum, known as slime molds, play the Game of Life.
Decision-making
Mao Li (CN)
This project aims to remind people how they make choices and realize a new way of thinking to make a “good” decision for them.
Electromagnetic Being
Xindi (Randy) Yu (CN)
This machine wants to unscramble and connect us better with our electromagnetism.
2984; Epic Frontier
Yue (Yorrick) Hu (CN)
2984; Epic Frontier is an art installation that showcases a new structure of human society.
Communicate with Fluorescent Sea
Qiao Zhao (CN)
This project is led by theories of Object-Oriented Ontology and Hyper-objects to think and reconsider our awareness of the self-perception of human.
Collaborative Fridges
Clara Koscienlniak (FR)
This project is a low-tech counterpart smarter than any smart fridge because the users make it smart.
Heartbeat Machine
Jiahuan Yang (CN)
This installation breaks away from the traditional method of audiovisual interactions and only uses sound effects to provide interactive feedback.
Identity as a Choice
Michael Selvadurai (UK)
This project set out to investigate the cultural influences of identity by the observation of Indian Elvis Tribute Acts.
Illusion Mirror
Bin Wang (CN)
Illusion Mirror is an installation project for creating an illusion with mirrors.
Impetus of the Machine
Beatriz Lacerda (PT)
This kinetic installation consists of the perpetuation of a human element (blood) in a system that truly relies on human beings to maintain its function.
Milk Above The Clouds
Pinar Apaydin (TR)
Milk Above the Clouds is a kitchen appliance designed to draw attention to human decision-making on behalf of a cow.
Mind The Gap
Aviral Kumar (IN)
This project is a way of acquainting others, in particular men, with the harsh reality of what it is like to be a woman.
Paddington Tool
Jiawen Yao (CN)
This project uses the iconic Paddington Bear to reflect on English values to newly arrived children.
The Sims
Yue Xiaohan (CN)
We begin to interact with others as if in a game.
S・R・L
Xiangnuo Li (CN)
Based on research into animism and evolutionary theory, this project aims to explore the boundary between machines and living things.
Symbiosis
Eleni Xynogala (GR)
Exploring the disparity of perception within the real and the virtual, this installation consists of three layers.
Theomachina
Vinzenz Reinhardt (DE)
Theomachina speculates on technology's trajectory with regard to human desire to have and obey a Supreme Being.
A Fictional Wedding
Shuying Wang (CN)
This installation organizes a fun story about a fake wedding by triggering each of the small sculptures.
Your Time
Won Kyoung Jang (KR)
This device enables people to have a subjective time experience.
Website: http://Int-des.com
