1995

Virtual Concrete

Virtual Concrete was an early interactive installation linking physical space and the Internet, using concrete slabs, sensors, and live streaming to explore cyberspace, evidence, and presence.

Virtual Concrete is one of the first interactive installations that combines the physical space with the Internet that was a response to the so much talk separating these spaces. My intent was to create a piece that connects the virtual and the concrete, and I searched for a definition of habeas corpus that was philosophical key to the debate about cyberspace and censorship. Habeas corpus signifies the need for physical evidence in order to have a case; when activities are transferred into an intangible realm, the ground becomes shaky. The installation consisted of six 3-ft slabs of concrete covered with large electrostatic (digital output) prints, along with light sensors and a computer connected to the Internet via a CU-SeeMe camera. On the Internet, I established a Virtual Concrete website to allow viewers from around the world to see the visitors/participants who walked on the concrete.

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