We are the group The Colour Blue. As a group we are interested in creating interactive artworks that examine the nature of interaction and the nature of it's influence on art. Our inspiration is drawn from various formalist artists such as Piet Mondrian and Mark Rothko. Mondrian's Compositions, and Rothko's late period both explore, in a formalist sense, the nature of colour and form. We hope to use the same focus, but on interaction, to convey the idea of art as interaction. Our first work is called Composition of Interaction.
Composition of Interaction is a formalist artwork about interaction in art. The work itself is simply a large, simple button atop an art gallery podium. When presented in the framework of an interactive artwork, the audience will move to interact with the work, assuming a result. However, the interaction options they are presented with are simply the ability to press the button or not press the button. This minimalistic result harkens back to older formalist artworks such as Mondrian's work, Composition with Yellow, Blue, and Red. Mondrian's work expressed itself through nothing other than simple geometric shapes, lines, and colours. Rothko's multiforms expressed themselves through the combination of colours. Similar to this, our work Composition of Interaction, expresses itself through nothing other than the presentation of a single, interactive option.
The exploration of form through simple geometric shapes, and simple, primary colours is reflected in our work through it's shape. The button itself is a simple geometric shape in a primary red colour. The podium upon which the button rests is nothing more than a rectangular prism painted white. The minimalist nature of the artwork's design will work to create contrast between it and it's non minimalist surroundings. This contrast further serves to illustrate the need for careful evaluation of our artwork as formalist expression of form and function.