Vote Machine is about the potential for vote manipulation when using computers to accumulate polling data. My work often appropriates computer game techniques, visual styles and sound to comment on our increasing reliance on computers.

Made in flash it downloads at about 800k

This work allows participants to navigate a 3D game space and interact with virtual objects and sound pieces. A rich variety of audio responses can be mixed dependent on the objects? spatial relationship to each other and to the users activator spaceship.

Why: This continues my interest in applying computer game practices toward making interactive artworks. I like to create the resources and script responsive networks to build dynamic pieces. In this case I am exploring a few of the parameters of 3D interactive technologies.

How:
This was created using Directors 3D capabilities. Many of the sounds are generated by a Moog The Rogue, though there are some samples. 3D objects and textures were created by the artist, as was the Shockwave 3D scripting.

How do you define "soundtoys" ? Auditory stimulus modifyable by the spectator? On a personal level, why do you make this work? I like to script responses to spectators' reaction to my work, and sound effects and music provide wonderful feedback. What is you project and your work about? Vote Machine is about the potential for vote manipulation when using computers to accumulate polling data. My work often appropriates computer game techniques, visual styles and sound to comment on our increasing reliance on computers. How long have you been working in this area? Off and on 10+ years. Were you an artist/ musician first who got into using computers/the net, or did you respond to the net as a medium in an artistic way? I started out as a programmer who went to art school to do something more interesting and personal. I have also enjoyed drawing and painting and wanted to combine the interests. What/ who has influenced you in your work? (themes, other artists etc) Kandinsky, Francis Bacon, Raushenberg, Warhol probably, El Greco, Allan Kaprow, Fluxus, DADA, Stephen Wilson The game developers at Inscape - now defunct. Are there any other artists covering the same field as you? I'm not sure really. There are other people who make art games, John Kilma comes to mind. I may be a little different in that I look for easy to access, m off-the-shelf development tools. Do you see this work as art? Yes, the computer is increasingly wiggling into every aspect of our culture. With regard to 'soundtoys' especially, why do you think the audio visual form is so key to the net? Recent computers are great playback devices. If we were still using FM sythesis in our sound cards I don't think sound works would be as popular. I'm not sure sound is key though, it is one aspect of the net. What defines the aesthetics of new interactive art.? The capability for the spectator to respond to the work that effects the work's realization using some kind of digital encoding device. How important is the visual aspect in the 'new' relationship of the audio visual? Since the computer can play video and audio together or separately it is probably as important as the intersection of video and sound art, though there are unique experiences the computer provides. Does the net promote visual awareness that is unique to it? A very first-worldly outlook I would say. How novel do you feel generative music and interactivity is? Medium. Do you think there is a history to audio visual work? film/video/sound/radio - yes Would you describe yourself as a multimedia artist, a net.artist, programmer, or none of the above? all of the above What software do you use most and why? photoshop, flash, sound forge, dreamweaver - they are easier to do than programming Can you recommend three urls to soundtoys? http://www.powerfx.com http://washingtonart.net/ross/r.html http://www.ubu.com/feature/sound/feature_mcginty.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1998 - 2005 soundtoys.net™ All rights reserved.