Semi-Senseless Drawing Modules
2014
The work Semi-Senseless Drawing Modules consists of a number of drawing modules. Monorail trolley-type modules move horizontally along the rail, with pens suspended from modules moving vertically with the help of winders. When the modules collide, they change the direction of their movement. The range of vertical movement is affected by environmental conditions such as loudness, temperature, humidity, and the number of people passing by. In addition, the speed of the vertical and horizontal movements changes in real time, according to the changes in the environment. The individual pens of the drawing modules interact with each other and the surroundings, generating enormous abstract drawing, over extended periods of time. The work was exhibited at the Sapporo International Art Festival, where the drawing continued to be created on the temporary wall for 72 days.
The idea behind the work was to simulate the creative process of abstract expressionists, who transferred their emotions onto canvas: the changes in the environment affect the painter, and the quality of their work. This work tries to simulate how the same kind of change affects the drawings created by the module. Can the modules be used to express deeper human emotions by adopting these factors?
Takahiro Yamaguchi produces art based around digital media and inspired by graffiti, street art and other modes of expression in public spaces. Employing devices and software and presenting works in an unconstrained, freeform manner, he casts doubt on entrenched conceptions and questions existing value systems.
So Kanno also works with technology, exploring phenomena unique to the field such as signal vs. noise, errors and glitches. In 2011 they won the New Face Award at the 15th Japan Media Art Festival for Senseless Drawing Bot, a drawing machine that creates abstract lines with spray utilizing the movement of a double pendulum.
Kanno and yang02 have since exhibited drawing machines at SeMA Biennale Media city Seoul 2012, the Sapporo International Art Festival 2014 and elsewhere.
Project RISK CHANGE (2016–2020) is co-funded by the Creative Europe Program of the European Union.
The project is also supported by the Municipality of Maribor and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia.
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