artist as user: a research
ARTIST AS USER: A RESEARCH by
Eelco Wagenaar
ARTIST AS SYSTEM ENGINEER Eelco Wagenaar, May 2011
TURNING / PIVOT POINT
MOTION
COUNTER MOTION
f.i.Q....1 HANNAH AHRENQ IN DIAGRAM
'If there is a sense of reality, there must also be a sense of possibility. ' 1 There seems to be an insidious perception that art is parasitical upon society. Opposed to this parasitic model of art, science is seen as a separate world, with a directly quantifiable use value to society in general. 2 A more productive way of looking at an art practice might be to see it as a multifaceted practice simultaneously at work in several different registers partly in the domain of art, partly in the field of science, and having its roots in the practice of society. This form of praxis is discernable in the necessity of the artist to maintain autonomy and to find new grounds to expand art practice and still be sustainable. This is a process in motion based on the principle that every revolution comes with a contra-revolution 3 • This process in motion can be described by a rotating circle . (fi.g_,j) The approach of artists cros sing over into the science is one that can result in potential havoc for scientific research; as artists deal with theory or problems in a completely different way.
1 Robert Musil, Man without Qualities (London: Pan Macmillan, 1997) 2 Simon Ferdinanda , 'Apes In Drag or unpublished musings and filibusters ' (Wyoming, Lost Springs City Press 2011) p.198. 3 Hannah Ahrendt, On Revolution (London, Penguin Books, 1990} p.21 · 58.
This circular motion, representing the rotation of a circle over time, in mathematical terms can be unfolded as a sine wave on a time line. (fl.9..,2) The sine wave can be seen as the unfolding of the process in motion on a time line where every point on the radius of the rotating circle is placed on a certain point on the horizontal axis, the time line. This sine wave shows more clearly the multiplicity of the practice, the flow and relative space of presentation (time). The fluctuation around the horizontal timeline would be the ongoing negotiation of time . These fluctations or modulations around this timeline represent the different fields of practice . If we look at this praxis as a system, a system is a group of elements that have interdependent relations and together form a complex whole; we can make use of system dynamics to analyze this praxis. We will distinguish two sorts of systems, an open loop and a closed loop system. In system dynamics, if a system has a desired purpose it is called a control system. The basic characteristics or elements of a closed loop control system are, input, process, output and a feedback loop.• An open loop control system would be a system where there is no feedback loop from the output of the process to the input. (fiq.3) To illustrate this idea of an open-loop control system in an art context we can examine the ' Broken Red Mirror' by Daniel Rozin. 5 The work consists of a
shattered mirror on a wall, on th e opposite wall there is a fragmented image of Red Burns. While just looking at the shattered image of Burns, one can only see fragments, but if one stands in front of the shattered image one sees all the fragments together so one sees the fragmented image in it original state. When looking in the mirror one sees the picture of Red Burns instead of a picture of oneself. Although there is interaction involved in this installation, it would mainly deal with the perception of the public. There is no feedback loop, no return of information from the audience into the installation. This is where I make a distinction between an interaction-based artwork, where a dynamic relation is established; a closed loop system with feedback, and an open loop system where there is no actual feedback to the input, no dynamic relation. An interactionbased artwork being a closed loop system I would consider to be truly interactive and preferable because there is a two-way communication, the feedback of the public will influence the input of the artistic process and will change the outcome.
As one sees the output of a stable system modulates constantly around a set value. Overall there aren't any changes, the modulation in the one direction is equaled out by the modulation in the other direction. (~) For a control system that is in control, the response diagram will show that the modulation starts wide as the system tries to control the output of the process to the desired outcome. The modulations will decrease in width until they are stable within the bandwidth, representing the desired outcome. Thus in the beginning the system is not in control, but after a certain time the system is settled and controlled within the bandwidth. (fi.g_,_Q) To explain this very simply, it is like driving a car and shifting lanes. Normally drivers tend not to do this too abruptly, but nice and slowly. Meanwhile if a driver should turn the wheel fast whilst shifting lanes, he or she will definitely have to correct this action by counter steering a fraction of a second later to keep the car going in the right direction. If we look at science or science related practices such as technological development or engineering practices, we see that what these practices have in common is that they are working towards certain objectives, for instance trying to prove certain theories, creating cures for diseases, designing new trains. All these practices have an objective. The processes tend to be controlled by supplying feedback from the output side to make sure a desired outcome is realized .
In system dynamics a response diagram visualizes how a system responds to an input. In the case of a system that is in control, thus stable, the response diagram will show a similar shape as the sine wave. (fi_g_,A) There are three basic modes of response for a respons e diagram; controlled, stable and out- of- control. 6
4 Richard Dorf and Robert Bishop, Modern Control Systems (Reading: Addison · Wesley publishing company, 1995 ), p.H 0 5 Daniel Rozin, 'Broken Red Mirror (2000) ', http: // www.smoothware.com / danny/ brokenmirror.html
171
·
6 Dorf and Bishop, Modern control Systems, p.233.
·1
illk2.
MULTIPLICITY OF PRAXIS ON A TIMELINE
OPEN LOOP SYSTEM (NO
FEEBACK ) INPUT
OUTPUT
PIIOCIISS
CLOSED LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM (SYSTEM WITH
FEEDBACK lOOP )
INPUT
·r._____ .
------~~
_ _PROC I_ ... ___
•
I
FEEDBACK
fi.Q.....a INTERACTIVE OR NOT' ACTIVE INFORMATION FEEDBACK
CONTROLLED ! REGULA TED
~
fi.Q....1
SCIENTIFIC
STABLE / NO CHANGE
HOT COHTROLLEO
CONSE RIJATIVE AN D ARTISTI C OUT PUTS Of DYNAMIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
CALCU LATI ON OF TOTAL AREA UNDERN EATH SINE WAV E IS EQUAL TO Z ERO
Eelco Wagenaar
ARTIST AS SYSTEM ENGINEER Eelco Wagenaar, May 2011
TURNING / PIVOT POINT
MOTION
COUNTER MOTION
f.i.Q....1 HANNAH AHRENQ IN DIAGRAM
'If there is a sense of reality, there must also be a sense of possibility. ' 1 There seems to be an insidious perception that art is parasitical upon society. Opposed to this parasitic model of art, science is seen as a separate world, with a directly quantifiable use value to society in general. 2 A more productive way of looking at an art practice might be to see it as a multifaceted practice simultaneously at work in several different registers partly in the domain of art, partly in the field of science, and having its roots in the practice of society. This form of praxis is discernable in the necessity of the artist to maintain autonomy and to find new grounds to expand art practice and still be sustainable. This is a process in motion based on the principle that every revolution comes with a contra-revolution 3 • This process in motion can be described by a rotating circle . (fi.g_,j) The approach of artists cros sing over into the science is one that can result in potential havoc for scientific research; as artists deal with theory or problems in a completely different way.
1 Robert Musil, Man without Qualities (London: Pan Macmillan, 1997) 2 Simon Ferdinanda , 'Apes In Drag or unpublished musings and filibusters ' (Wyoming, Lost Springs City Press 2011) p.198. 3 Hannah Ahrendt, On Revolution (London, Penguin Books, 1990} p.21 · 58.
This circular motion, representing the rotation of a circle over time, in mathematical terms can be unfolded as a sine wave on a time line. (fl.9..,2) The sine wave can be seen as the unfolding of the process in motion on a time line where every point on the radius of the rotating circle is placed on a certain point on the horizontal axis, the time line. This sine wave shows more clearly the multiplicity of the practice, the flow and relative space of presentation (time). The fluctuation around the horizontal timeline would be the ongoing negotiation of time . These fluctations or modulations around this timeline represent the different fields of practice . If we look at this praxis as a system, a system is a group of elements that have interdependent relations and together form a complex whole; we can make use of system dynamics to analyze this praxis. We will distinguish two sorts of systems, an open loop and a closed loop system. In system dynamics, if a system has a desired purpose it is called a control system. The basic characteristics or elements of a closed loop control system are, input, process, output and a feedback loop.• An open loop control system would be a system where there is no feedback loop from the output of the process to the input. (fiq.3) To illustrate this idea of an open-loop control system in an art context we can examine the ' Broken Red Mirror' by Daniel Rozin. 5 The work consists of a
shattered mirror on a wall, on th e opposite wall there is a fragmented image of Red Burns. While just looking at the shattered image of Burns, one can only see fragments, but if one stands in front of the shattered image one sees all the fragments together so one sees the fragmented image in it original state. When looking in the mirror one sees the picture of Red Burns instead of a picture of oneself. Although there is interaction involved in this installation, it would mainly deal with the perception of the public. There is no feedback loop, no return of information from the audience into the installation. This is where I make a distinction between an interaction-based artwork, where a dynamic relation is established; a closed loop system with feedback, and an open loop system where there is no actual feedback to the input, no dynamic relation. An interactionbased artwork being a closed loop system I would consider to be truly interactive and preferable because there is a two-way communication, the feedback of the public will influence the input of the artistic process and will change the outcome.
As one sees the output of a stable system modulates constantly around a set value. Overall there aren't any changes, the modulation in the one direction is equaled out by the modulation in the other direction. (~) For a control system that is in control, the response diagram will show that the modulation starts wide as the system tries to control the output of the process to the desired outcome. The modulations will decrease in width until they are stable within the bandwidth, representing the desired outcome. Thus in the beginning the system is not in control, but after a certain time the system is settled and controlled within the bandwidth. (fi.g_,_Q) To explain this very simply, it is like driving a car and shifting lanes. Normally drivers tend not to do this too abruptly, but nice and slowly. Meanwhile if a driver should turn the wheel fast whilst shifting lanes, he or she will definitely have to correct this action by counter steering a fraction of a second later to keep the car going in the right direction. If we look at science or science related practices such as technological development or engineering practices, we see that what these practices have in common is that they are working towards certain objectives, for instance trying to prove certain theories, creating cures for diseases, designing new trains. All these practices have an objective. The processes tend to be controlled by supplying feedback from the output side to make sure a desired outcome is realized .
In system dynamics a response diagram visualizes how a system responds to an input. In the case of a system that is in control, thus stable, the response diagram will show a similar shape as the sine wave. (fi_g_,A) There are three basic modes of response for a respons e diagram; controlled, stable and out- of- control. 6
4 Richard Dorf and Robert Bishop, Modern Control Systems (Reading: Addison · Wesley publishing company, 1995 ), p.H 0 5 Daniel Rozin, 'Broken Red Mirror (2000) ', http: // www.smoothware.com / danny/ brokenmirror.html
171
·
6 Dorf and Bishop, Modern control Systems, p.233.
·1
illk2.
MULTIPLICITY OF PRAXIS ON A TIMELINE
OPEN LOOP SYSTEM (NO
FEEBACK ) INPUT
OUTPUT
PIIOCIISS
CLOSED LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM (SYSTEM WITH
FEEDBACK lOOP )
INPUT
·r._____ .
------~~
_ _PROC I_ ... ___
•
I
FEEDBACK
fi.Q.....a INTERACTIVE OR NOT' ACTIVE INFORMATION FEEDBACK
CONTROLLED ! REGULA TED
~
fi.Q....1
SCIENTIFIC
STABLE / NO CHANGE
HOT COHTROLLEO
CONSE RIJATIVE AN D ARTISTI C OUT PUTS Of DYNAMIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
CALCU LATI ON OF TOTAL AREA UNDERN EATH SINE WAV E IS EQUAL TO Z ERO
