Oceanus

Oceanus at EMAF (European Media Art Festival), Osnabrueck/Germany, 2011

Oceanus is an installation allowing interactive narration based on a variational scenario and an authoring software tool created by the artist. The idea of the work, on the levels of structure and story, refers to the concept of navigating the sea. Notions such as marking out courses and sea sailing are transposed into the media environment and provide the metaphors that drive the installation. They enable travel across the universe of Oceanus and provide a natural co-existence between the linear narration, associated with sequential events, and interactive narration, related to the modifiable structures, altered by choices and generative processes.

Oceanus at WRO Media Art Biennale, Wroclaw/Poland, 2011

The installation is a part of the Moving Stories - an international co-operation project supported by the European Union. Organisations from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Poland will exhibit 6 new works of art in 2011. Oceanus is curated by WRO Art Center.

The physical arrangement of the installation (however narrative structure itself is independent from the physical components of the installation) consists of a large-format touch screen (or a matrix built with such displays) placed horizontally at a height allowing free access to displayed objects, selecting and moving them, and the use of other interface features.

Large-format touch screen makes the installation accessible by multiple users simultaneously. As an alternative, two or more synchronized access points might be used, what would bring new opportunities of interaction between the users, as well as between the users and the software controlling the installation.

Oceanus at WRO Media Art Biennale, Wroclaw/Poland, 2011

An important part of the installation is the second, vertical screen (digital projection driven by a beamer). On this screen visitors can track the linear, displayed as a single channel video, result of processes triggered by people manipulating the interface on the touch screen.

The six new works produced for Moving Stories will be exhibited by all six European partners during several (media) art festivals throughout 2011: