Performative Media /Assignment 1 — Precedent Study & Critical Analysis
Assignment 1 (20%) — Precedent Study & Critical Analysis
October 10, 2025 / Week 1 - Week 4
GeXianjing / 0377636
Performative Media / Bachelor of Interactive Spatial Design (Honours)
Title & Group Introduction
Our presentation, Performative Media – Precedent Study & Critical Analysis, was a collaborative work by Group 5. Each of us took responsibility for researching one artist and assembling the visual layout. We began by introducing the project’s aim — to analyze how media artists design interaction and performance using technology, aesthetics, and audience participation.
Introduction to Refik Anadol
We started with Refik Anadol, a Turkish-American artist known for transforming data into poetic visual experiences. His concept of treating “data as paint, AI as collaborator, and space as canvas” inspired us. Our group found his works ideal for exploring how data visualization and performative media can merge art with machine intelligence.
Why We Chose Refik Anadol
In this section, we explained why Anadol was chosen. His work demonstrates “liveness” — processing real-time data to generate dynamic, sensory environments. As a team, we discussed how his methodology offers both technical learning value and conceptual depth, addressing ethics, accessibility, and the emotional potential of AI art.
Case Study 1 – WDCH Dreams
This slide examined WDCH Dreams, a collaboration between Refik Anadol and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. We highlighted how voice recordings and geolocation data created a participatory archive. Each team member contributed insights into the Input → Process → Output model, explaining how personal stories became shared public soundscapes. The analysis emphasized empathy and accessibility in interaction design.
Case Study 2 – Machine Hallucinations
Here we discussed Machine Hallucinations, where Anadol uses millions of public images to train AI models that visualize the “dreams” of machines. We analyzed its tools (GANs, TouchDesigner, Unity) and its aesthetic impact. The team reflected on how immersive visuals evoke meditative states, blurring the boundary between digital and organic beauty — showing how technology can express emotional imagination.
Introduction to Blast Theory
The second half of the project focused on Blast Theory, a UK-based interactive art collective. We introduced its members and philosophy: using technology as a medium for social dialogue. As a team, we appreciated how their projects connect human emotion, gaming, and performance to question issues of surveillance, control, and trust.
Artistic Vision and Inspirations
We analyzed Blast Theory’s artistic vision — blending storytelling, performance, and participation. Our group found their approach powerful because it uses simple tools (GPS, radio, locative media) to create profound experiences. This led to discussions in our group about emotional engagement versus spectacle — a core theme throughout the assignment.
Case Study 1 – Can You See Me Now?
We explored how Blast Theory combined live street performance with online gameplay. In our analysis, we highlighted the technological challenge of synchronizing GPS data and network performance. The work’s tension and chaos illustrated how digital visibility transforms our sense of presence. Our group members debated accessibility and the balance between speed and meaning in interactive experiences.
Case Study 2 – Rider Spoke
The project Rider Spoke was particularly meaningful for us. Participants cycled through cities at night recording personal stories, creating a shared sound map. We admired how this minimalistic design achieved emotional depth. During preparation, we discussed how vulnerability and intimacy could become design tools — connecting strangers through memory and place.
Reflection & Application
In our final section, we summarized shared lessons: both artists transform audiences into participants. We reflected that emotional connection is more impactful than visual spectacle. Each member suggested how to apply these insights in future projects — using sound mapping, AI-generated visuals, and data interaction responsibly, while avoiding over-complex or unethical use of technology.
Reference List
We concluded with a list of references in APA format, ensuring academic credibility. Each source — from MoMA, Tate, Google Arts & Culture, and Refik Anadol’s official website — was verified collaboratively by team members to maintain accuracy.
Working on this project helped me understand how interaction in media art goes far beyond digital effects — it is about connection, narrative, and perception.
From Refik Anadol, I learned how data can be transformed into a poetic visual language that evokes emotion and reflection.
From Blast Theory, I realized how participation and choice can turn audiences into co-creators of a performance.
Both artists share a similar core idea:
technology should serve human meaning, not replace it.
During our group research, I started to see that interactivity is not only a technical process but also a psychological and emotional dialogue.
An effective interactive artwork creates space for the audience to feel involved and respond — not just to watch.
Moving forward, I hope to apply these insights to my own performative projects — combining sound, light, and audience motion to create a living dialogue between humans and media systems.
This assignment reminded me that performative art is alive because people give it life.
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