“Design in Our Lives Reaction”

Field Trip 2

High Function art to me is art that moves a person. It creates some sort of inspiration, or it makes the viewer think. This is made easier with modern technology it enables the artiest to make art seem “alive”. An example of this is the exhibit “Hi, a Real Human Interface” it is an exhibit where all the functions of a computer are done by a human. It answers the question can a computer be human? It just takes a man in a clear box and a lot of creativity to make a computer human, also some holes to breathe can’t hurt either. Another example can be found in the millions of subway stations across the New York area, and that is the “Metro Card Veining Machine” this exhibit is one we take for granted every day. Millions of commuters use these machines to get metro cards then rush to catch the train that is pulling away. But what makes this unique it was purpose built with New Yorkers and the thousands of tourist alike it is meant to make buying a metro card easy and most off all fast. This machine may look simple but it is not. It is meant to make a complex process easy; in short it makes the task of buying a metro card easy, fast and friendly to a certain degree. They both have in common that they make a complex simple.

Low function art is to me art that well does not do much is simple and only has one job. Most art to me is low function most just do one thing and most of the time it is jut to sit there and look pretty. Some do a little bit more some make a point in a small way. This is the “Tweenbot” its only goal is to get to a certain place. Now this does sound like high function but it is not. The “Tweenbot” relies on only the help of others to get to its destination. To add to is simplicity it can only move in one direction and that is forward. A little white flag tells people where it would like to go; sometimes it gets there by the kindness of others sometimes the confusion of others as well. Also to avid danger it again relies on people to help it. Another exhibit was “Newsmap” it shows news from all over the world on what looks like a 12 inch TV. Again seems high function but this is only on this small 12 inch TV in the Museum of Modern arts, it will be better if it was available to the thousands of cell phones, Ipad’s , blackberries and other smart devices. But it’s not it’s just in one place. News is supposed to be available to everyone not just a group of people.  

Low and High function do have their meeting points when high function exhibits like the metro card machine it makes a task simple. Or even the human computer; is another one when a million wires are replaces with a smile, and an actual person will it be the same thing? Will we take for granted a computer if it had a person in it? Or will we be more human? Despite all this low and high function do meet.

“Hi, a Real Human Interface” 2009 Courtney Mulitouch Barcelona

“Tweenbot” 2009 Kacie Kinenr & Tisech School of the Arts, New York University

“Newsmap” 2004 Marcos Weskamp

“MertoCard Vending machine” 1999 MTA New York City Transit