Advances in Design, Music and Arts III

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Digital Media and Media Arts

   1. Frontmatter

   2. A Live Cinema Performance: Playing a Linear Narrative Through Soundscapes

      Ana de Jesus Perfeito, Bruno Mendes da Silva

      Abstract

      The aim of this article is to document part of the creative process of the live cinema work Safara—Lucid Dream 2020, an audiovisual show that represents the experience of a lucid dream and consists of a performer, in front of a film projection, manipulating the audiovisual elements using analogue and digital interfaces. It is an art and research project in development since 2020, and in this documented phase the author introduces soundscapes to complete the work in terms of sound and narrative, and we question whether it is possible to improvise in live sound samples while maintaining the continuity of the film’s story. The research methodology is based on artistic practice, and we present a state- of-the-art study on the following concepts: sound art, soundscape, sound field recording and soundscape composition. The practical work was carried out with the financial support of government institutions and the technical and production support of a non-profit cultural association.

   3. Methodology to Develop Web Storytelling Applications

      M. Madalena G. Ribeiro, Mafalda S. T. G. Almeida

      Abstract

      Since the traditional tales represent relevant pieces in the intangible cultural heritage of each region, as elements of identity and interconnection between people and territories, it is important to reinvent ways of passing on this oral heritage to the new generations. Considering that the daily life of contemporary generations, especially the youngest, takes place significantly in digital environments, it appears to be a suitable medium for telling traditional tales. As these are tales, digital storytelling is an approach that immediately seems appropriate for this purpose. Regarding the medium, the web is a suitable alternative, thus web storytelling is the concept chosen to perform the adaptation of traditional tales to digital media. As there is no methodology for this purpose, this article proposes a methodology to support the work of adapting a (traditional) story as a web storytelling application. This proposed methodology includes the various stages of the process.

   4. Exploring Interactivity and Interpassivity in Digital Narratives: A Critical Examination

      Ana Catarina Monteiro, Miguel Carvalhais, Rui Torres

      Abstract

      The interaction between code and language shapes emergence and innovation in computational systems, turning them not merely into a series of connected structures but into narrative spaces. Interactive Digital Narratives (IDNs) are characterized by a tension between the control exerted by the system to engage readers and the autonomy that readers desire over the narrative’s direction. This results in a ludic paradox, where the role of the narrative system is to enable and facilitate play while simultaneously being capable of communicating the outcomes of the readers’ actions. On the other hand, the reader must be able to participate actively by playing along the system's rules. Based on the notion of interpassivity, which refers to the delegation of the cognitive activity to the object, thus transforming the reader into a passive observer of the system’s interactions, this paper aims to explore the interplay between interpassivity and interactivity. As we navigate IDNs, we engage with narratives that challenge and empower readers, that create immersive and enriching experiences, and transform their relationships with the computational system. This contributes to understanding the pleasure of playing and the reader's role. Based on the premise that readers can derive pleasure from automation but also yearn for control over the narrative, we can investigate the playful interaction between humans and machines. This paper will analyze Emissaries (2015–2017), defined by its creator, Ian Cheng, as a “video game that plays itself,” and where the reader can seemingly only visualize the work. In this case study, we will look for narrative mechanics and the specificity of the medium in which the IDN is instantiated. We will discuss how the computational system actively shapes the narrative without direct reader input and consequently propose a reconceptualization of the concept of interpassivity and its relationship with interactivity.

   5. Embracing the Luxury Paradox: New Luxury, Digitalization, and Digital Experiences in the Metaverse

      Catarina Cardoso, Joana Casteleiro-Pitrez, Helena Lobo

      Abstract

      The luxury industry currently encompasses several types of luxury, each aimed at different audiences with different consumption intentions. Although a paradox for luxury culture itself, the evolution of this industry has allowed traditional luxury, based on attributes such as elitism, conservatism, and materialism, to coexist with more accessible luxury, the new luxury, driven by progressiveness, individuality, and a preference for experiences. The concept of new luxury arises as a central tool for the sector’s survival in the digital age, where technology and accessible, personalized, and customized approaches have acquired significant importance in the preferences of younger consumers. Furthermore, due to the pandemic crisis and the growing emergence of new technologies, the luxury industry is increasingly embracing digitalization by designing phygital experiences or experiences set in digital media. Luxury entities are employing the metaverse and its inherent characteristics to explore alternative methods of interaction, developing immersive and exclusive experiences for contemporary consumers. This article uses a methodology based on the collection and analysis of scientific literature to investigate how luxury brands are approaching digital experiences, with a particular focus on the metaverse. It seeks to determine whether these brands are able to maintain the fundamental attributes of luxury, such as exclusivity and authenticity, in order to continue to be perceived as luxury.

   6. Shaping Sustainable Behavior. Kinetic Materials Experience of Morphing Artifacts

      Yi Sui, Marinella Ferrara

      Abstract

      The development of innovative smart materials plays a critical role in reimagining the structure, functionality, expression, and interactivity of artifacts. In the majority of literature, the evaluation of the environmental impact of smart materials focused on technological aspects such as manufacturing and mechanical properties to boost high functionality compared to conventional materials. However, the dynamic properties of smart materials, especially those capable of changing shape in response to external stimuli, open new design opportunities exploiting artifact experiential features for motivational purposes. For this, shape-changing materials can be an opportunity to foster design for environmental sustainability by motivating users’ sustainable behavior. In this paper, we analyze the kinetic experience of moving artifacts made of shape-changing materials and build a framework able to help designers use shape-changing materials in order to motivate user behavior. We use case studies methodology of morphing artifacts to demonstrate the potential contribution of shape-changing materials. The analysis is based on an experiential framework from literature encompassing four parts: movement perception, emotional response, meaning attribution, and behavioral impact. The paper proposes a strategy that emphasizes the possibility of integrating the experience of morphing artifacts to enhance pro-environmental awareness and motivate pro-environmental behavior while considering how shape-changing materials can contribute towards achieving a sustainable future through design.

   7. Breathless. A Sensor-to-Sound Performance

      Mona Hedayati

      Abstract

      Breathless is a live audiovisual performance designed using biosensor data and audio recordings of breathing rhythms collected from myself while watching video documentation of protests in Iran over a 6-month period. Statistical analysis and machine learning were the techniques consecutively implemented to process biosignals and audio recordings. The goal for such processing is to make sense of the time-series data towards an acoustic performance. While making use of both libraries of data, the performance features live-streamed sensor data captured while watching the video documentation of the protests as a re-enactment of the data collection phase. As a critique of the field of affective computing that aims to automate emotions as well as data-driven media art practices that make unquestionable use of data processing techniques, Breathless intends to open up the grounds for alternative treatments of data towards critical possibilities. Through leveraging the atmospheric qualities of sound and the experience building capacity of the live performance, the goal is, thus, to opens up a space for relationality and empathy building.

   8. TRADIGITAL, a DMI Design Project Based on Traditional Musical Instruments from Beira Baixa and Extremadura

      Rui Dias, José Francisco Pinho, Martin Gomez-Ullate

      Abstract

      This paper introduces the project TRADIGITAL, a research project for the development of digital musical instruments inspired by traditional musical instruments. The initial phase of this project focuses on the research and compilation of existing instruments in use in the traditional music practices in the regions of Beira Baixa, Portugal, and Extremadura, Spain. This research will inform the selection of one instrument from Portugal and one from Spain, as the two main case studies on which the new digital instruments will be based upon. We present the current status of the research and the main perspectives and criteria for the selection process and discuss the future steps for this ongoing research.

   9. Gender Equality in Sports on Exhibition: Curating Digital Media-Art in the Parallel 3 - Cubed Activism Project

      Jorge Santos, Mirian Tavares

      Abstract

      The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the intersection of digital technology and exhibition curatorship on gender equality in sports as a research method. It explores the framework in the 21^st century and highlights the significant influence of digital technologies on the creation and consumption of images through screens. It then focuses on the Digital Media-Art (DMA) activist project Parallel 3 - Cubed Artivism, which centers on gender equality in sport, incorporating digital and interactive elements such as Augmented Reality. The article discusses the objectives, concepts, and purpose of the project, as well as the relationship between technology and art, challenges, and opportunities presented by the inclusion of digital technologies in the visitor experience. Subsequently, the focus turns to the evolution of curatorship, highlighting the transformation of the curator's role in the digital era, with an emphasis on activist curatorship addressing social issues, including gender equality in sport. It also explores the A/R/Cography method as central to curatorship and the transition from DMA artifacts and previous results to the exhibition WOMEN IN SPORT to be displayed at the National Sport Museum/IPDJ, outlining ongoing activities such as research, curatorship, and operational issues, as well as the importance of institutional framing interviews. The article provides a holistic view of the contemporary landscape, emphasizing the ongoing need for innovation and critical reflection in integrating DMA and curatorship to promote gender equality in sports.

   10. Media Arts as an Artistic Activism: State of Art

       Bruno Mesquita, João Martinho Moura, Alberto Sá

       Abstract

       This state of art aims to explore the connection between media arts and artistic activism, emphasizing its role in fostering discussions on social, political, and environmental issues today. By combining art, technology, communication, and science, media arts provide a platform to question standards, spark conversations, and raise awareness about important topics. In this article, we also discuss a pertinent topic in activism through its impactful laser projection format, known for its scale, transforming spaces and perceptions to stimulate debate and reflection on topics of significant social and environmental relevance. This examination illustrates how adapting tools and ideas serves not just as a form of creative expression but also as a powerful tool for criticizing and influencing society.

   11. Could We Really Be Free Without a Place to Live? Generative Photographic Archival Exhibition

       Líria Varne, João Martinho Moura, Daniel Brandão

       Abstract

       This article explores the creation and development process of the work One Place to Live. A piece of media art incorporating research on architectural heritage, resulting from long walks drifting through the cities of Braga, Porto, and Lisbon, for 22 months, between 2022 and 2023, capturing images of house doors. The work is composed of sounds, photographs, and videos and, in addition to the real photos, has images generated by artificial intelligence. One Place to Live is finished with generative art, where the machine, through code programmed by the artist, is in charge of deciding the final visual composition of the work. Given the commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of the Portuguese April 25 Revolution, the artist also travels the paths of history and finds, in the original recordings of the night of April 24 to 25, the historical importance of the house for the safety of the Portuguese people.