[-empyre-] New media experience - suisse expo 02 - some impressions

[Reiner Strasser <reiner.s@netartefact.de>]

Hello,

just back from a short Suisse trip, I want to add some short notes about my
experience of handling "new media" by the public.
Visiting the Suisse Expo 02 was a nice experience, not only for myself in
looking at many really fine pieces, but also under the aspect to see how
smooth the handling by the public is/was.
While the expo is primarily an art event (the name for the different spaces
is arteplages), it is not recognized at first by all visitors. [some men
talking one to each other standing behind me in a row: (astonished)"the last
work was very artistic." (a bit ambivalent) "It is all artistic, or not?"]
The people (children to grandparents) had no problem in handling the pieces,
with or without interactivity [computer unexperienced "older" people looking
with interest at how other "younger", handling the interface, typing in
textes .. and followed afterwards. --- nice to see the grandma learning from
the child - people learning from each other --- else there were enough
people around, who could be asked].

You had to wait long to enter an installation (up to 60 minutes), especially
where only a limited group can be inside at once, but the atmosphere was
very relaxed. At the beginning of the row you got a folder/paper with
instructions to read while waiting.

Overall a sweet experience - no trouble with new media - "no computer / no
art" public impressed by new media art.


best

Reiner