Installation of Fronting Motion in Esther Klein Gallery
Fronting Motion, 2014
Made for the occasion of Internet of Cars – A Distributed Exhibition, Southampton, UK
Installation, 2 opposing video projections with corresponding audio.
Description
Fronting Motion shows two visual/auditive data streams: one coming from number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras along the A354, Dorchester-Weymouth, the other stream from the vessel tracking system around the Nearby Southampton harbor, both in the UK. Combined, the two streams create a double screen multiphonic soundscape.
Artistic Motivation
Fronting Motion is an abstraction of the domination of cars and ships in our landscape and our way of living. Yet the installation gives a realistic experience of those traffic streams: you hear cars approaching on one side, while from the other you hear the sluggish blowing of a sea tanker horn sounds, distant gulls? Everywhere you hear this other, constant noise. Is it the sea you hear, or is it the sound of a highway?
Knowing where you are (or where others are) is of significant importance with all different kinds of registration tech around us: GPS, smartphones, RFID, near field, ANPR, surveillance cameras, face and emotion recognition, social media, etc. The project addresses these changes in the techno society we as humans face now.
Use (Chrome) browser to experience this project. If possible on two computer screens. Then go to:
• www.frontingmotioneast.net [Southampton harbour data stream; archived in 2014]
• www.frontingmotionwest.net [ANPR camera data stream; archived in 2014]
Full Credits
Fronting Motion by PolakVanBekkum
Arno Peeters, sound
Peter Robinett, coding
Arjan Scherpenisse coding and 2020 update.
Curated by Helen Sloan, Director SCAN
Fronting Motion was realized in collaboration with:
Internet of Cars – A Distributed Exhibition
Produced by the Sixth Sense Transport (6ST), a EPRSC Energy / Digital Economy funded project.
https://vimeo.com/100044605
The presentation at John Hansard Gallery; Southampton; UK as part of Internet of Cars
Directors from 6ST for Internet of Cars:
Dr Tom Cherrett, Transportation Research Group, University of Southampton;
Dr Chris Speed, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh;
Helen Sloan, Consultant Curator and Project Manager and Director of SCAN
Marinetraffic.com, providing the AIS data of ships passing Southampton harbor
Stokroos Fund Netherlands for additional funding.
Presentation history
– Sept 26 – Oct 25, 2020 Upstream Gallery in Amsterdam, both online and on location as part of Appearances, curated by Josephine Bosma
– July 18 – August 16, 2014 University City Science Center’s Esther Klein Gallery (closed in January 2023), Philadelphia.
– 13 – 23 May, 2014, Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset, UK
– 17 May, 2014 Car(bon)Mart, hands on presentation Southhampton
– 13 – 15 June, 2014 Guildhall Square Southampton, Public Projection (presentation in two sea containers during „Internet of Cars” conference)