This week we received feedback on our group project and discussed both the creative direction and the technical feasibility of our ideas. Since our concept revolves around AI, data extraction and prediction algorithms based on everyday movement, a large part of the conversation focused on whether we would realistically have access to the tools and infrastructure needed to realise the project. We discussed possible tracking methods and interactive technologies, and Serra suggested looking into devices such as Kinect and Leap Motion for capturing motion more accurately than a webcam. This was particularly useful because it encouraged us to think about the practical side of the project before becoming too attached to ideas that might be difficult to implement.
Serra also emphasized the importance of visualization. Rather than simply collecting data, she encouraged us to think about how that data could be translated into something visually engaging and understandable to an audience. She stressed that the visuals themselves should communicate the story and make the relationship between movement, prediction and AI clear. We were advised to research artists working with data vizualisation, glitch aesthetics and experimental digital media. One artist that was recommended was Rosa Menkman, whose work explores digital artifacts, glitches and the ways technology shapes visual communication.
Reflecting on the feedback, I realized that our project needed to be driven as much by visual communication as by technology. It is easy to become fascinated with AI and data collection, but Serra’s comments reminded us that the audience ultimately experiences the visuals rather than the underlying code. Going forward, I want to spend more time studying how artists visualize complex information and how abstract systems can be translated into images and animations that tell a clear story.