Pufination
Pufination (2008) by Robertina Sebjanic and Luka Frelih was one nice and warm experience I had at Device_art 3.009. In the microcosm of Robertina and Luka small Pufis present micrograms cohabiting in a fully opened ecosystem.
Pufination, Photo by Maja Lozic, Cyberpipe (cc)
They are small touchable robots based on Arduino platform allowing the communication to be based on wireless networking.
Pufi robots are organized as a group of rounded objects, in this case 4 of them, functioning in mutual cohabitation network via sensitive sensor. Every visitor can enter ‘the space’ and be included into the artificially designed ‘biosphere’ through sensor based interaction.
Pufination, Photo by Luka taken from Kontejner
The communication itself between small robot and visitors is manifested through subtle touch, sound, light and vibration.
If there is no interaction, there is no action! Therefore, the message is simple at first, as usually with simplicity goes, more complex things lay behind.
Designed as a interactive installation showcases the importance of cohabitation processes, because there is no leading role in the project. Pufination wants to highlight human relationship to other forms of life and entities marking the idea of how important relations between objects are. Not only in the context of communication, but as an example for our own survival.
Pufination, Photo by Maja Lozic, Cyberpipe (cc)
‘In Pufination, we find ourselves inside a simulated projection of our everyday. Decentralised control, close stimulus response and adherence to simple rules – this is what links robots and visitors in the Pufination’, said Roberta and Luka about their project.
Roberta Sebjanic and Luka Frelih are both very well know to international and regional media art scene.
The making of Pufination, Cyberpipe (cc)
Robertina Sebjanic is actively engaged in video art and new media practices. She works and researches video and sculptural techniques, dedicating most of her attention to linking diverse technologies.She had already presented solo projects as well as successfully taken part in international exhibitions and festivals.
The making of Pufination, Cyberpipe (cc)
She’s is finishing her studies at the Department of Sculpture of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana and at Famul Stuart – a Ljubljana-based school of applied art. In academic year 2005/2006, she had taken expert classes at the Valand School of Fine Arts in Gothenburg, Sweden. Read more here
The making of Pufination, Cyberpipe (cc)
Luka Frelih is a computer programmer with special affinity for open programming, a web page designer and media artist. He is one of the founding members of the Ljubljana Laboratory for Digital Media (Ljudmila) and one of its creative participants, and currently the leader of the Creative Commons Slovenia project.
Pufination, Photo by Maja Lozic, Cyberpipe (cc)
In 2004, he developed FRIDA V. – Free Ride Data Acquisition Vehicle – a project he presented at the DEAF 2004 festival in Rotterdam, at the Contemporary Slovenian Art 95’05 – Territories, Identities, Networks exhibition, at the MFRU 2006 festival during his residence in New York in 2005/2006, at the Crash Test Dummy festival in Ljubljana and München, Piksel festival in Bergen, and as part of the Orgnets project in Beijing in 2007. (Frelih’s bio taken from Liwoli)