In Pin Cushion (2000), a female character is projected onto a latex cushion. Large acupuncture needles are embedded into the character’s face. When the viewer touches the needles, the projected woman responds and devolves. The range at which the image changes, and the instantaneous morphology that the degrading image assumes, depend on physiological properties of the viewer: surface electrical conductivity, resistance to electrical currents, and the latent charge of the viewer’s own body. The digital character’s lifespan and well-being are dictated by the collective intentions of the viewers/participants over the exhibition period. I always thought of Pin Cushion, as a work which explores elements of tactile desire, manipulation, violence and identification. Participants decide whether to control or abstain from manipulating a projected character, which puts them in a position of control over the artwork.
Pin Cushion
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Mari Velonaki
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2000
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