Decode: Digital Design Sensations at the V&A

K and I are in London and have just been to the V&A to see the Decode: Digital Design Sensations exhibtion. I was very impressed by the stuff on display and had great fun throwing my arms about which most of the exhibts seemed to demand. Despite it being digital art it had a gentle calmness that left you feeling invigorated rather than drained. Either I am becoming more tolerant to machines or they are becoming easier to be around. Also contrary to expectations there was a very natural feel to the digital art – outside there was a huge portrait of flowers continually growing by Daniel Brown and to enter the exhibition you had to walk through Dune – some fablous electronic reeds that lit up magically when they sensed you by Daan Roosegaarde. Inside the dark depths of the exhibition there was a lovely tree by Simon Heijdens that moved in response to the wind outside the V&A.

I really liked everything but lingered in front of the mirror that created a ghostly photo of the person in front of it and the blank canvas that allowed you to splatter digital paint on it by moving your arms around. There was also a radiohead video by Aaron Koblin that caused a few people to stop and ask if that was what their kids were listening to. K’s favourite was the weave mirror by Daniel Rozin. The peice had a lovely sound attached to it and really reminded me of the birds at the ex-abattoir in Madrid although I’m not sure why apart from the gentle feeling you got from it.

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