"Aspirations" 2018
At the Exploratorium Tinkering Studio in San Francisco, CA

Made of inflatable lounges, 2 hp blower, pine, maple, music wire, gate valves, hoses, video surveillance and etc....

It measured 8' (h) x 20' x 13'.

Aspirations allows participants to explore collaboration, competition, and communication as they negotiate how much air to keep for themselves and how much to share with their partner.

Each participant has a pull cord that moves the gate valve giving them more air.  But the more air they get the less their partner will receive. Together they have to decide who will be buoyed up, who will be let down or how to float together in equilibrium.

Aspirations was supported by a grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission

 


A composite image of the key mechanical components

 
Aspirations began as a commentary on Trump's obsession with winning but with the addition of some springs it evolved beyond a zero sum game into an exploration of cooperative strategies.

The Surveillance Monitor allowed questions to be put to participants in the midst of their interations as well as seeing themselves and the consequences of their actions in real time. The view at the bottom right is from the inside of one of the lounges.



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