David Crawford: Stop Motion Studies – Tokyo

  • ©2004, David Crawford

Artist(s):


Title:


    Stop Motion Studies - Tokyo

Exhibition:


Creation Year:


    2004

Category:


Artist Statement:


    www.stopmotionstudies.net ‘Stop Motion Studies” is a series of experimental documentaries that chronicle my interaction with subway passengers in cities around the world. The aim of the project is to create an international character s tudy based on the aspects of identity that emerge. It is said that 90 percent of human communication is non-verbal. In these photographs, the body language of the subjects becomes the basic syntax for a series of web-based animations exploring movement, gesture, and algorithmic montage. Many sequences document a person’s reaction to being photographed by a stranger. Some smile, others snarl, still others perform. Some pretend not to notice. Underneath all of this are assumptions and unknowns unique to each sit uation. The series extends my long-standing interest in narrative and, in particular, looks at the subway as a stage upon which social dynamics and individual behavior are increasingly mediated by digital technology. As one of the most vibrant and egalitarian networks in our cities, subways bring people from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds into close contact. This process plays a significant role in shaping both the character of a city and our individual identities.

Technical Information:


    At its heart, the project celebrates what can be accomplished within the file-size constraints presented by current network architectures. Flash MX is used as both sequencer and streaming technology for what might be referred to as “poor-man’s video.” In any case, the experience is rich while being specific to the online environment. As it is interactive and non-hierarchical, the project functions more like a
    simulation with dramatic over tones than a linear narrative. Users simulate the act of riding in the subway, a transportation network that provides an allegory for the ebb and flow of information that is the traffic of the internet.
    The target audience is both PC and Mac users with a screen resolution of 800 x 600 or higher and a color depth of at least 8 bits (256 colors). A web browser of version 5.0 or greater is required, either Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer. The Flash plug-in (version 6.0 or higher) is also necessary. Roughly 80 percent of users will be able to view the project without making any adjustments to their current hardware or software configurations. File sizes will be
    optimized so that users can access the project over a 56K modem.