Turbulence Commission: "SMS-Tokyo, Series 11 & 12"
by David Crawford
http://turbulence.org/works/sms
Series 11 and 12 complete David Crawfords "Stop Motion Studies-Tokyo" project for Turbulence. "SMS-Tokyo" is a series of five experimental documentaries that chronicle Crawford’s interaction with subway passengers in Tokyo, Japan during late October, 2003. "SMS-Tokyo" is a 2003 commission of New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. for its Turbulence web site. It was made possible with a grant from the LEF Foundation.
The SMS project (series 1-12) creates an international character study based on the aspects of identity that emerge. The body language of the subjects becomes the basic syntax for a series of web-based animations exploring movement, gesture, and algorithmic montage. The entire project may be seen at http://stopmotionstudies.net
SMS extends Crawford’s long-standing interest in narrative and, in particular, looks at the subway as a stage upon which social dynamics and individual behavior are increasingly mediated by digital technology. As one of the most vibrant and egalitarian networks in our cities, subways bring people from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds into close contact with each other. This process plays a significant role in shaping both the character of a city as well as our individual identities.
BIOGRAPHY
David Crawford was born in Riverside, California in 1970. He studied film, video, and new media at the Massachusetts College of Art and received a BFA in 1997. In 1999, his "Here and Now" project was commissioned by New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2000, Crawford’s "Light of Speed" project was a finalist for the SFMOMA Webby Prize for Excellence in Online Art. In 2003, his "Stop Motion Studies" project received an Artport Gate Page Commission from the Whitney Museum of American Art, and an Award of Distinction in the Net Vision category at the Prix Ars Electronica.
For more information about Turbulence please visit http://turbulence.org
Website: http://turbulence.org/works/sms
Comments are closed