Compos(ur)e

My name is Peter Wildman and I have been inspired by an experience of being aware of my presence.

After being introduced to mindfulness meditation techniques last September I quickly realised how in a fast paced, modern world, we are encouraged to perspire to aspire to be better people. This self reflective and project driven approach is rarely coupled with time to sit with the product of the moment - our presence in this body, mind, heart, soul and environment that is here and now.

We can find ourselves reacting to our world because we need to survive. We need to know what every opportunity or threat is present so we can divert or capitalise as we traverse with a spacial velocity set upon the future and sometimes caught up in the past.

My project is one that will place our obsession with time travel as close to the present moment that is possible. I am currently studying interactive art at COFA (College of Fine Art) in Paddington. My interest is centred around our mobile phones and how we can reframe the way we interact with them.

There is a potential space that can be created when calls to our attention are listened to as calls to mindful awareness. We create space for composure, through being mindfully aware of our presence in each moment, rather than being cramped by reactionary behaviour. Compos(ur)e is a mobile phone application that enables a social network of people to create technological bells of mindfulness for one another. This interconnection is materialised as a network of installations and kinetic sculptural spaces that are composed through these mobile interactions.

I have developed a prototype of the application, where you breathe into the phone's microphone and ring a bell for yourself. I am now in need to develop the social network element and also develop it so it is compatible for a wide range of 'smart' phone users. Also the first of the installations will be presented at this years COFA Honours show. The installation will be a proof of concept, a prototype showing the interaction that will possibly take place in the network. This is a link to a concept video that shows what the installation that represents the network usage will look like.

http://vimeo.com/28605430

Thanks for the opportunity to put my project out there as a potentially awesome endeavour.

Cheers,
Peter Wildman

Funded by Sydney (October 2011)