Design in Action: Unpacking the Artists' Role in Performance-Led Research

Title of the Paper

Design in Action: Unpacking the Artists’ Role in Performance-Led Research

Paper Information

• Subject Areas: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Performing Arts, Collaborative Design, Remote Presence Technology
• Keywords: Interactive Performance, Collaborative Design, Performance-Led Research, Remote Presence, Digital Technology, Narrative, Performing Arts, Bodily Interaction, Audience Engagement

Research Background and Issues

• Problem or Challenge: Previous research in human-computer interaction has largely focused on the design of audience engagement and experience, with limited attention to the specific roles artists play during the design phase and the challenges of integrating digital technology into artistic performances.
• Significance: Artistic performances that incorporate digital technology offer new opportunities for creativity and user experience. However, neglecting the involvement of artists in the design process may result in a lack of deep understanding regarding the integration of technology and its expressive potential.
• Research Motivation: This study aims to address this research gap by collaborating with artists to explore design methods and innovative models for integrating digital technology into performance environments. For instance, the study reexamines the relationship between technology, narrative, and performance by exploring the application of the remote presence technology ChameleonMask in an interactive theater setting.

Solution

• Proposed Solution: This study employs performance-led workshops to explore how the remote presence technology ChameleonMask can be integrated into theatrical performances.
  • Adopting a performance-led research approach, performers act as design collaborators, working with technology researchers to explore the potential applications of the technology.
  • The study emphasizes the unique contributions of artists' professional skills to the design process, using open-ended exploration to uncover the creative possibilities and design challenges introduced by the technology.
• Innovative Aspects:
  • Combining artists' professional perspectives with technological exploration to evaluate the effectiveness of technology in real performance contexts.
  • Using existing technological prototypes (ChameleonMask) as a starting point for design, rather than developing new technologies from scratch.
  • Introducing a new perspective on "how artists redefine technology applications through narrative and sensory elements."
• Implementation Steps and Key Technologies:
  • Technical Equipment: The core components of ChameleonMask include a helmet, a tablet, a smartphone camera, and real-time video and audio connections with remote users.
  • Workshop Design:
    1. Introduction and exploration of ChameleonMask technology.
    2. Guiding the artistic team through brainstorming and improvisational performance to design algorithms or scenarios.
    3. Specifically discussing how to integrate the technology into theatrical narratives and stage performances, such as using traditional mask performance methods and Clown techniques to explore bodily movements and experiential contexts.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Outcomes:
  • Conceptualizing the Role of Technology: Investigated how the separation of face and body, as represented by ChameleonMask, can be integrated into performance narratives to create unique dramatic contexts.
  • Value of Artists' Professional Skills: Highlighted the central role of artists' performance skills (e.g., body language, emotional expression) in adapting and redefining technology usage scenarios.
  • Improving User Engagement Design: Demonstrated scenarios such as audiences wearing masks to "upload" their consciousness, successfully enhancing audience interaction within the narrative.
  • Technology Adaptation Assessment: Conducted detailed analyses of body language, eye contact, and movement rhythms, leading to recommendations for optimizing immersive experiences.
• Advantages:
  • Unlike traditional approaches that treat technology as a tool, this study transcends the "add-on technology" mindset, achieving holistic design through the interplay of technology and narrative.
  • Emphasized collaboration between artists and designers, opening up new scenarios and possibilities in performance environments.
• Experimental or Evaluation Results:
  • Over a two-day workshop, the team successfully designed multiple scenarios that met artistic expression and narrative requirements.
  • The artistic team found that ChameleonMask technology created unique opportunities for expression and perspective control, though it also introduced narrative complexities.
• Limitations and Future Directions:
  • Limitations:
    • The study starts with existing high-fidelity technology, which may limit the potential for pioneering new technologies.
    • Lacks in-depth case studies tracking long-term collaborations between artists and technologists.
  • Future Directions:
    • Extend the research to other forms of interactive performance and explore different domains of art-technology integration.
    • Investigate how the design outcomes can be translated into more generalizable design frameworks to accommodate various types of technology.