rafael lozano hemmer: make out digital installation

‘make out’ by rafael lozano-hemmer image © antimodular research

mexico-born, canada-based artist rafael lozano-hemmer has created ‘make-out’, an interactive installation featuring kissing couples. the high resolution display shows two 400 video clips, all taken from the internet, of people facing each other. as soon as a visitor passes by, the couples located in his shadow begin to kiss. the array of make-out sessions continues, moving with the visitor, until he departs.

at random periodically, the screen will show all the couples in the database simultaneously. although the  proportion can be set manually, the default of couples is 50% woman-woman, 30% man-man and 20% woman-man, a statistically accurate representation of what can be found on the internet.         the work is one of the pieces on display in decode digital design sensations, on exhibition through march 10th, 2012 at design museum holon in holon, israel. the collection explores various ways in which technology and art can be integrated.

installation view image © designboom

closer view of the screen image © designboom

gallery viewof the installation image © antimodular research

couples are shown facing each other until a visitor passes by, at which point they begin to kiss image © designboom

one couple being shown repeatedly vs. all the video clips in the database image © antimodular research

the installation can be projected with the use of motion sensors image © antimodular research

the kissing couples follow the silhouette image © antimodular research

in this photograph you can see a sample frame when the individuals are merely facing one another (lower right corner) and kissing image © designboom

detail of screen image © designboom

detail showing the way the project responds to the shadows of visitors image © antimodular research

‘make out’ by rafael lozano-hemmer