plaplax

KAGE-table

FILE
Electronic Language International Festival

Abstract:
Since old times, the shadow proved the existence (for a ghost has no shadow). However, like the image projected on the TV monitor (which is “virtual” in this sense) the shadow itself doesn’t have substance. And at the same time, as we can see in the shadow picture, the shadow or silhouette stands as the basis of the image. In “KAGE-table”, we took the notice of this shadow-substance characteristic and by using cone-shaped object I created its shadow with computer graphics.

The computerized shadows projected down toward the table stay still, like all shadows do, but as the time passes, some of them begin to tremble. By touching directly some objects which are placed on the table, various kinds of patterns appear on computerized shadow images. While these things are happening, the viewer is illuminated by the projector coming from the ceiling. So, the shadow of the viewer himself is also projected on the table as well as computerized shadows. When the false shadow created by computer graphics and the true shadow of his own are both projected on the same plane picture, one would recognize his shadow and his existence once again.

Biography:
plaplax (CHIKAMORI Motoshi, KUNOH Kyoko, KAKEHI Yasuaki, OHARA Ai).
CHIKAMORI Motoshi and KUNOH Kyoko, who had been working as a media art unit “minim ++” (minim-plapla) and interactive media researcher KAKEHI Yasuaki played a key role in founding the organization in 2004. They have been engaging mainly in the interactive art field, while also involved in a wide range of activities such as space supervising and art work production in public space, commercial space and events, as well as the production of video contents, development of interactive systems, product design, and technological development project with universities and companies. Their work has been featured in many different locations both domestically and internationally at prominent festivals including Ars Electronica (Austria), SIGGRAPH (USA), Centre Pompidou (France) and Japan Media Arts Festival (Japan). An animation designer OHARA Ai has joined the group in 2008, and launched the TV program “Design Ah!” for NHK Educational TV and so on. They are further spreading their field of activity, such as sketching mental images of nature with the theme of “Imaginature” incorporating the unique perspective and methods of media art.