PICTOPLASMA
2011 EDITION

Berlin, April 7, 2011. The festival Pictoplasma opens at Babylon Kino, in Berlin. The festival is an opportunity to see, touch and experience what is done in creating contemporary characters. The poster is attractive, thirty exhibitions, three days of screenings, lectures, workshops and concerts. The rhythm of a series of screenings in the morning followed by a series of lectures in the afternoon, the viewer is quickly caught in a whirlwind of joyous colors and pixels, textures and universe. It is an exercise for the viewer, which passes from the fascination (the incredible variety of media used by Jeremyville is almost merchandising) to wonder (goldsmith's work of the illustrator-poster Roman Klonek, the use of the woodcut technique to produce vivid and timeless images). The programming is eclectic, colorful, protean. It is not an elitist festival, but a large exhibition of the artwork. Despite a plethora of styles, the universe and the relevance of the program, can still be seen on the duration and form of the event. As a trend across a panorama of contemporary art in terms of character design is delicate, if not downright dangerous. It is this unique approach that is interesting to highlight, that of presenting the work of professionals outside the pure design of characters. From there to consider their work with the same filters and through the same prism, there is only one step.


Keepon and Papp, transversal projects.

This Pictoplasma seems not to have taken, by scheduling Marek Michalowski in the lecture series. Roboticist (he works on human-computer interaction) and cofounder of BeatBots (beatbots.net), it is part of a group of engineers who create robotic characters far from simple mechanical tools impersonal. The flagship project BeatBots named Keepon is small, looks like two tennis balls stacked. Keepon has two cameras and a microphone. Its complex articulated skeleton allows it to perform movements in four directions depending on the received signal, whether auditory, tactile or visual. Developed in 2003, the project aims to study and encourlager human social development, especially with children with autism. Therapists, pediatricians and parents use it as a tool to observe, study behaviors and encourage social interaction, attention or express emotions.

_On a closer toy design, the audience of Pictoplasma could enjoy the cool of the intervention of artists and designers Hilde & Bard Tordal. Presented at the conference is a robot named Papp, located at the crossroads of product design, robotics and toy design. Papp is fearful, according to its designers, from time to time he raised [his] case and begins to search for a new place to hide. Moving according to the light it is presented in the form of a cubic cardboard box customizable by the owner, in terms of programming or as a space for expression. The robot can then become a reflection of its user, extrovert robot, as long as its formal envelope matches his character.

Receipt of public and changing practices.

Such cross-cutting projects clearly pose the question of the receipt by the public. In the case of Keepon, it is interesting to note that the principle of development (a scientific and therapeutic range) is expanded following its communication to the public, and its properties have allowed him to explore new territories, such as dance and response to music. Similarly, Papp, who is originally a work of art in motion, or an interactive sculpture, later became a real toy, customizable to infinity, ready to be taken over by other artists designers and invest a real economic market. It is difficult to clearly establish the common factors that allowed these two little robots to move beyond their own field of experimentation. However, we can establish three major things in common: their interactivity with their users and, by extension, their audience, their minimal design, leaving much room for imagination and interpretation (in a manner even stronger in the case Papp) anthromorphisme them, leaving the field possible for slurred and identification. This last point is particularly strong and could be extended to virtually all the works that are presented.

Dissemination of works and issues

Apart from its editorial approach, Pictoplasma strength lies primarily in its program of exhibitions, workshops and artistic practices. In parallel of thirty places partners, the program published for the occasion (20 000 copies!) Invites the viewer to a treasure hunt malice between "Hackesher Markt" the "Rosenthaler Platz" and "Rosa-Luxemnburg-Platz ". By its very nature, the network consists embodies the concept of diffusion, since Pictoplasma and guest artists occupy physically and infuse the local area by forging a strong link between exposure and the festival. The shape is interesting: it also causes some situations close to happening during certain procedures. That of the young illustrator Siggi Eggertsson of Iceland, for example, giving a surprising lecture presented by his virtual alter ego. It is the art of serving his shyness to speak before an audience and make creative works.

Pictoplasma proposes the experience of a meditation practice and exchange, in adopting this developing devices within certain cultural institutions dedicated to contemporary art including (Palais de Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon ...). Out of these devices, Pictoplasma, as a number of festivals, still seems to rely on the autonomy and independence of the public. Operates as a turning point this year in order to consider the design of characters, but also its direct applications. By diversifying the means of dissemination of works and the opportunity for the public to take it, the structure displays a deep awareness of a dynamic business, a variety of words and contexts. The publishing activity, an early thought as a necessary complement to the exhibition is a perfect example of the ephemeral and the "event" that must exist, and which is itself a necessity. And confirms its desire to stick closer to creating "contemporary people" adapt to changes in business, the public, media and of an era. A deep process of reflection and a step back that makes sense year after year.

Translated from french magazine ÈTAPES # 198 and written by Yolanda Zappaterra and François Le Hérisser

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