About

Who:     AGATA STADNIK    www.agatas.com
Where: Dynamic Media Institute at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston
Why:     I’m working on my Master of Fine Arts Thesis

I as a monster-MoMA NY 2008:”Shadow Monsters” an installation by Philip Worthington

IN MY WORK I WANT TO:
• people actively participate in my project moving whole or parts of their bodies
• challenge the way people think, move or communicate
• test how people would behave or how would they solve certain challenges
• challenge that “normality” and put people in situations out of their usual place
• people to have fun and behave “naturally” 
• people to use their non-verbal skills to communicate their ideas
• entice user and the observes

 

RECENT PROJECTS:
1. You Are Here: video game, gesture, communication

It’s an interactive video game, where one can experience being in different countries and being challenged on how to behave “properly”. The challenge is that the player has to relay on gesture, non verbal communication, and tone of the voice of speaker to recognize what’s going on, because there is no translations or directions.

 

2. Cinema Technique: education,design tool, communication

A library of cinematic techniques samples and its description organized in such a way that even a film novice can easily create a story that would convey abstract concepts such as: fear, power, loneliness…

 

3. Map Installation: game, body movement, communication

Based on map and traveling idea I build a 3D installation space with thin treads in different colors. Each tread had beginning and end, was suspended on different heights in various points sloping up and down, and created a particular path in space. Each user would choose one color and would have to slowly and delicately follow its paths, up and down and sometimes through different obstacles. Users not only had to be careful with the tangible tread but also be aware and considerate of the other participants.

 

4. Duel Game: game, body movement, communication

This game was inspired by reading a chapter from Alexander Dumas’s book, in which characters fought to get the “secret documents”. I gave users bright stickers and pointers/swords. Each user had to think about a secret, place a sticker somwhere on his/her body and try to aim the “sword” into the rival’s target. The person who succeeded in touching the rival’s target point would be the winner in that duel, and the looser would have to tell his secret… The last person to will would know all secrets from all other opponent.

“Tell Me Your Secret” – part 2

I was able to build small devices that recorded secret and were connected to metal target. The pointers also were made with metal and by touching would electric connection and trigger the sound.

 

 

5. Shaky Sound: body movement, performance, communication

I came up with an idea of sound instruments that would have to be installed on human body to by played. It required the user/player to jump, shake and twist various parts of his/her body. 

 

 

6. Square jumping: body movement, performance, communication
  

It’s a game where users are able to jump on colors squares which are layed out on the flor creating winding paths. All paths could be interpreted in many ways. Users could follow one color paths from beginning to end and try, listen to the recorded voice telling what to do, or could create own rules of play, The emphasis was put on jumping on one leg and trying to be accurate with jumping on the exactly have tried multiple variations of this game with different settings and rules. This project is very popular with kids.

 

8. Motionary©: body movement, performance, communication

Motion Dictionary of words and expressions performed/acted out by different people, which could be used as dictionary to help people learn new words or as game for people to try to guess what a particular act means.

More projects to come!!!