itp this place is amazing

I understand that the city needs to generate revenue, but wrapping public transportation in standard advertising seems unfortunate (although I’m all for more situationist ad campaigns). Ubiquity is not the new exclusivity. If companies want positive brand association in subway stations (or anywhere) they are going to have to provide a service of value, ie. give everyone a free metro pass, insert play, be smart, make people smile; the bar has been raised. I have been thinking about the role of waiting in public transportation and looking at what surrounds us in the interval between here and there. I briefly considered a few possible uses of empty ad space, for example, scrolling books, subway platform exhibitions or curated subways cars by local artists. Bus stops would be a great place to communicate consumer information, especially actionable items like adding your name on the National “Do Not Call” Registry, or removing your name from bulk mailing lists (that generates 4 million tons of paper annually), those things you keep meaning to do but haven’t. Below are a few creative responses to advertising.

The Bubble Project is an open dialog via thought bubbles pasted on advertising in public space.

Add-Art is a free FireFox add-on which replaces advertising on websites with curated art images.

Light Criticism is a series of overlays on backlit advertising displays.

Poster Boy creates subway-ad mash-ups.

If I was not doing what I am doing for thesis

I would be making a device that compels physical objects to sing in sympathetic vibration by communicating their resonant frequencies.

Or building a collection of sculpturally amusing (yet functional) telephones.
ie. A wooden flute phone (a project I suggested to my friend Stephanie a few years ago, although I’m not sure if she ever used idea), that dials numbers through the tones you play - I’ve been wanting to make it ever since coming to ITP.

Summer projects!

Actually, the first summer project I will be working on is called Mimicry in the City, a set of illusory methods for urban survival.

note to meng

I am waiting for the earth to rotate and blanket my room in sunlight.

Note to self: thinking about the universe expanding dissolves thesis anxiety.

Sparkfun ads with momo

January issue of Circuit Cellar, February issue of Servo, March issue of Make and Nuts & Volts

Fall 08

4-in-4 Day 4: 3D Printing

I’ve been wanting to experiment with surface finishes on 3D printed plaster, so today I modeled two simple forms and 3D printed them at a variety of scales. Each object has a pinhole through the center so I can assemble the successful pieces into earrings.

See everyone’s Day 4 project here:
http://itp.nyu.edu/4-in-4/category/day-4/

4-in-4 Day 3: memos

I like communicating minimally, so for day 3 I made a set of memo cards, small windows where I can share my thoughts.

illustrated windows –> lasercut/etched paper

See everyone’s Day 3 project here:
http://itp.nyu.edu/4-in-4/category/day-3/ 

4-in-4 Day 2: Pattern, Form

I sketched out a number of patterns today and liked this simple block design best. Below are sample lasercuts in paper, fabric, and plexiglass. The plexi piece reminded me of work my friend Jesse Seeger has been doing where he scores plexiglass, softens it in an oven and then sculps it. I’ve been wanting to try this, so I took my plexi piece home but was hesitant to put toxic material in my oven, I decided to boil it in water instead - I’ll have try this last step again, this method did not yield the degree of distortion I was hoping for. Form photos forthcoming!

See everyone’s Day 2 project here:
http://itp.nyu.edu/4-in-4/category/day-2/ 

4-in-4 Day 1: Seagulls

illustrated seagulls –> lasercut silhouettes –> body ornamentation

See everyone’s Day 1 project here:
http://itp.nyu.edu/4-in-4/category/day-1/ 

last photo taken

note left on my phone

messaging to a stranger