The Interactive Arts is an emerging field of art practice that uses technology to create interactive spaces and performances.  It is a rich field for artistic expression and interpretation, and of cultural value in that it can shift our perceptions about art, technology, and life in the 21st century. It has the power to open our minds to new ideas and possibilities, and/or present a critique on our present ways of thinking.

What is conceptually interesting is that Interactive Art exists only while being experienced. The artist¹s goal is to construct a coherent framework within which many different artistic experiences will occur.  But the work comes alive through human interaction, and the viewer becomes an active participant in the creation of the experience. In this sense, interactive artworks exist more in a state of flux than completion.  They are spaces in which to play and interact with oneself in new ways.

In developing an interactive installation piece, the artist must find creative ways to gather and process various forms of input from a space or device.  Often the computer is reconfigured and repurposed in radical ways using various sensors and multimedia devices. The artist is constantly experimenting with the computer, testing its boundaries through creative use.  Limited only by their imagination and technical prowess, the interactive artists must be a thinker and visionary, as well as builder and problem solver.

Interplay presents two interactive installation pieces from the first graduating class of the Interactive Arts program at Simon Fraser University. Each installation was co-developed by a team of students and is a result of their collaborative ideas and processes. The Interplay event commemorates their graduation and also signifies their entry into the world of professional art practice.

By Owen Milburn