outside the Center for Architecture. Don’t blame them though - they were cordial and respectful of the festival and have been awesome to the artists in the neighborhood this week.  We love the NYPD.  The reason they were reduced to cutting string with scissors? Leave it to senility to get the best of an old woman in the neighborhood. After promptly yelling at us (”It’s not safe!”) and then proceeding to play security guard around the swing (”don’t swing…it’s not safe!”), granny decided to phone the police (the nerve!).  In the interim, an epic battle between mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, friends of Conflux, artists, homeless men and the woman ensued. She defended the swing like a knight in a medieval castle and eventually, granny got her way.

Highlight of the Battle: Granny’s initial quote. “This is the worst thing I have ever seen in this city!!!” Murders, rape, robberies and puking NYU kids got nothing on us.  (Check her out below in the blue dress - and yes she was with another granny right behind her)

Signing off as the worst thing in NYC. Officially.

-Conflux 2008

SIT Projects posted to their MySpace blog about their first day at Conflux 2008. Their post includes a summary of what they did for their project as well as a lot of photos of them in action. From their post:

We were happy with our classy arrangement of antique chairs from 1926. However we were very unhappy with each other. After a massive blowout we hugged and made up while walking over to Conflux HQ to sign in for registration.

Within four hours our piece was removed. Rather than feel defeated, we jumped into action!

Read the entire post

The costume that I designed as a second body is named “Compli-mum” which means “Complete woman”. It looks like armor for women or special clothing for self-protection, but it is also trendy and sexy looking. The costume changes its own shape by separating or gathering parts of its construction through the use of microcontroller and a motorized skeleton structure. The motorized mechanism transforms the bottom area of the costume and reveals the monitors installed underneath the costume. The parts transform and enlarge the shapes to represent a sexually exaggerated and distorted female body.

The costume starts playing a video as I move.
The accelerometer contained within my costume, measures the degree to which my walking movements tilt the costume.
Theses measurements are interpreted by the Basic Stamp microcontroller to change the track selection on the attached DVD players. As I hacked the Forward and Backwards buttons on the DVD players to accept input from the microcontroller, DVD player itself switch two video tracks when I walk or stop.

As I perform wearing this costume, it looks as if the costume itself opened the bottom and exposed the private area of my body. The publics are invited to watch the video and are expected to crouch down due to the location of the monitors.

Video footage and sound help to understand the theme of my project more clearly. The composite images of the video using logos of well-known commercials or expensive fashion goods add the wit or sarcastic accent to the video.
It is about gender identity represented through mass media and consumers in a capitalistic market. Why a marathon? To me, it’s the most awkward event stands for humanism covered up by all the commercials and sponsorships.

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Presentations on Thursday the 11th and Friday the 12th require tickets, but as a not-for-profit arts event Conflux is committed to keeping ticket prices very low despite the amazing programming we’re excited to offer. Students with valid ID are eligible for a discount [enter discount code: flux, and bring your ID]. Get your tickets today!