Me, My Quantified Self, And I

How do we perform data, and how does data perform us?
Our lives are increasingly entangled in digital spaces, yet we struggle to find common understandings of what it means to live digital lives. Me, My Quantified Self, and I offers a tangible experience of our digital world by asking “How do we perform data, and how does data perform us?” Pushing back against clean, minimalistic techno-aesthetics, this work reimagines our digital world as the messy, cluttered, complicated ecosystem it is.

For more context, listen to this data meta-performance piece.

The full experience of this work includes both a participatory installation and 60-minute dance/theatre performance. 

This work is created in partnership with the Border Quants research collective.

Participating Artists

Artistic Director: Jessica Rajko
Dancers and Co-Creators: Lacee Garcia, Sydney Jackson, Sharon McCaman, Elisa Radcliffe, Juan Rodriguez
Crochet Performance: The Needlewielders
Sound Design and Performance: Tony Obr, Lauren Hayes
Text: Raji Ganesan, Jessica Rajko, and Dancers
Laser Design: Francisco Flores
Haptic Design: Lauren Hayes, Jessica Rajko
Rehearsal Assistant: Felix Cruz

PRESS

PNT Preview Piece   
ASU Now Article    
Event Press Release

PERFORMANCES

The Banality of Surveillance (Excerpt from Me, My Quantified Self, and I)
DUMBO Dance Festival
Brooklyn, NY, October 5 - 8, 2017

Networks (Screendance based Me, My Quantified Self, and I)
Commissioned by Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College Spring Dance Festival
SCC Performing Arts Center, Scottsdale, AZ

Me, My Quantified Self, and I (Full Premiere)
Unexpected Gallery
Phoenix, AZ, February 10 - 12, 2017
-Friday, Feb 10: Guest Performance Jeepneys + White Boy Scream
-Saturday, Feb 11: Post-show discussion with Border Quants
-Sunday, Feb 12: Free One-on-One Cyber-Consultations 

Me, My Quantified Self, and I (Excerpts)
Breaking Ground Dance Festival 
Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ, Jan. 28, 2017

Me, My Quantified Self, and I (Excerpts)
Fall Forward Dance Concert 
Galvin Playhouse, Tempe, AZ, Sep. 30 - Oct. 2, 2016

funding and support

This work is generously supported by the ASU Human Security Collaboratory, Global Security Initiative, Tempe Cultural Council, the Vibrant Cities Grant, and the ASU Program for Transborder Communities Seed Grant. "Me, My Quantified Self, and I" is also part of the "Vibrant Lives" project, which is supported by the ASU School of Arts, Media and Engineering's Synthesis Center. 

VIbrant Lives

What is #VibrantLives?

• An entanglement with bodies, technologies, and information through movement, design, and digital critique.

• A remaking, an act of “critical attention,” a gesture of generosity.

• A sweeping up of the torrential data shed that has become central to western culture in order to “give back” that data in a non-monetized, non-commercial form.

CONCEPTUAL INSPIRATION: Globally, people produce 2.5 quintillion (10^18) bytes of data per day. That’s roughly 3.5 million bytes of data per person, per day. Despite this torrential production, many people are only dimly aware of the volume and content of their own data production. Governments are sweeping up this information, all while arguing that such activity logging is benign, or even beneficial, surveillance. Nevertheless, it is clear that this is a highly valued (monetized) part of our lived experience. Critically commenting on this use of personal data, Vibrant Lives gives audiences a real-time sense of their own voluminous “data shed” (the data that we share as a part of everyday life). By blending vibrotactile interfaces for feeling one’s own data shed with an immersive performance installation, we bring attention to the boundaries erected by ideas of disembodied, abstracted, “immaterial” metadata, and people.

Vibrant Lives primary investigators: Jessica Rajko, Eileen Standley & Jacqueline Wernimont. 

Interactive Vibrotactile Interface: To engage people in their own data production, we explore ways in which haptic (touch-based) feedback can elicit deeper embodied understandings of what it means to “shed” or output data. To do this, we created an interactive vibrotactile interface that allows users to feel their own data loss via their personal mobile phone. This interface includes 1. a mobile phone application that allows users to interface with their personal mobile devices (Android and iOS), and 2. a wearable infrasonic subwoofer commercially known as a Woojer. Network data is captured, identified and redistributed back to individual phones via a custom server.

Performance Installation: The full performance installation as been presented in multiple instances and iterations including "Handmade Amplified" at 4bid Gallery in Amsterdam, "Spark! Mesa's Festival of Creativity" at Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, AZ, and "Fall Forward" dance concert at the ASU Galvin Playhouse in Tempe, AZ. All iterations incorporate a multisensory collage of image, sound, movement, and bodies that includes, 1. interactive vibrotactile interfaces to be worn on the body or felt in sculptures, 2. realtime movement composition, and 3. ambient soundscapes. The performers engage participants in simple real-time composition scores and perform improvisational scores inspired by the technical, theoretical, and cultural implications of personal data. As with all improvisational structures, negotiations are made in the moment. The collective mind of the group is expressed through multiple bodies and actions. The dance begins to create its own real-time logic (or composition of shifting meaning), and both participants and performers alike can easily engage or be aggregated into this activity. Vibrant Lives creates a space in which participants can fluidly enter into an embodied experience of their own data, participate as they choose, and leave when they are ready. The purpose of this installation is not to hold people captive, but provide a multisensory space in which people engage in a physically and tactually heightened experience, on their own terms. No participant is required to engage with any of the activities, and witnessing is offered to those who may not want to actively engage. 

FALL FORWARD DANCE CONCERT
Click here to visit the "Fall Forward" dance concert gallery page.

I'm not as think as you drunk i am

Building from the narratives of six dance artists, I'm Not as Think as you Drunk I Am weaves personal stories with powerful movement. The result is an immersive experience of what it's like to navigate one's own relationship with alcohol, outside of the normative, young adult drinking culture. Wild, raw and steeped with dark humor, this work moves beyond the “house party” portrayal of young adult drinking to share the more intimate and ever-evolving relationships young adults have with alcohol.

Performances:

Commissioned Performance, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ, Oct. 12 - 13, 2017
Premiere, Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ, Nov 12, 2015 -- EVENT PRESS RELEASE
Excerpt, Fall Forward Dance Concert, Tempe, AZ, Sep 2015
Excerpt, Breaking Ground Dance & Film Festival, Tempe, AZ, Feb 2015
Excerpt, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ, March 2015

Original cast of Participating Artists:

• Dance: Jessica Rajko (Artistic Director), Felix Cruz, Jordan Daniels, Sydney Jackson, Elisa Radcliffe, Juan Rodriguez
• Music Composition: Robin Vining, DJ Fabi
• Guest Performance: Audra Carlisle, Abelardo Gil, Geordi Helmick, Roddy Nikpour, Steven Redondo
• Local Band/DJ Performances: Treasure Mammal, Sweet Bleeders, DJ Fabiulous

PROJECT VIDEO/PHOTO GALLERY
PRESS
 

FLOW STATES

Mary Fitzgerald (choreography)
Casey Farina (audiovisual media)
Jessica Rajko (dance)

Flow States is a 15-minute duet that uses dance and audiovisual media to explore the relationship between neural networks and immersive mind states. These “flow states”, originally defined by psychologist Mihály Csîkszentmihályi are characterized by complete focus and lack of personal awareness. In order to achieve a flow state, one must strike a balance between the perceived difficulties of an activity and one’s own perceived skills. By using compositional structures that challenge the performers’ abilities to “re-pattern,” and make choices in real time, Flow States requires both the dancer and audiovisual performer to engage in additive and subtractive improvisational decisions as a means of disrupting habitual responses. By equally challenging memory, problem-solving skills and physical capacities, this process subsequently induces flow. The audiovisual components for Flow States were developed through a series of iterative algorithmic procedures and controlled live using a multimodal interface. The network imagery in the piece recalls the neural networks that serve as the conceptual basis of the work. Although the overall framework of the piece is fairly structured, the performers’ decisions alter the elements of each performance, which brings a life to the piece that tightly scored works often lack. 

View video of Flow States HERE.

Topography

Jessica Rajko (choreography/performance/costume design & production)
Ashley Gamba (costume design & production)

Topography explores the contours of the female body as inspiration for choreography and interactive costume design. The primary components of this project are 1. a 9-minute solo dance work, and 2. an interactive costume that comprised of soft pressure sensors, trinket pro microcontrollers and neopixel leds.

About the Costume: Handmade soft pressure sensors are strategically placed on convex, boney parts of the body - scapulae, iliac crests, sacrum and ribs. The surrounding leds radiate from these boney landmarks creating a dynamic, topographic map of the human body. From a practical standpoint, Topography is a wearable technology design experiment. The goal with this project was to create an interactive costume that is both heavily embedded with electronic components and allows for a wide range of full-bodied movement.

About the Choreography: The costume is performed in a self-choreographed dance solo inspired by topographic map designs of both anatomical and geographic information. As a dancer I often think about the internal workings of my body: muscle, tendon and bone. Rarely do I think about my external, skin surfaces. The design process I undertook to build my interactive costume required that I think critically about the surfaces of my body. I spent a lot of time searching for ideal boney, rigid and convex surfaces for the soft pressure sensors and protected, concave, soft surfaces to hide fragile electronic components. Inspired by my intense exploration of my own human form, I used this self-exploration as an inspiration for the movement. Weaving together images of geographic and anatomical landscapes, the movement traces topographic patterns on the body and in space.

Design challenges

From a practical standpoint, Topography is a wearable technology design experiment. My goal is to create an interactive costume that is both heavily embedded with electronic components and allows for a wide range of full-bodied movement. Some of the major challenges I encountered in the design process include modularity, durability, flexibility, comfort and freedom of movement.

Modularity: All of the technological components are anchored to neoprene, a fabric most known for its use in wetsuits. All of the neoprene components are removable. This allows for the main costume piece to be machine-washed and makes any future potential repairs much easier.

Durability, Flexibility and Comfort: All of the sensors are handmade out of neoprene and conductive fabrics. Neoprene is an excellent material for interactive costume design because it is flexible, but holds shape. It also provides a soft cushion both for the body and the fragile electronics. This means that rigid electronics can be rolled over without damaging the components or injuring the body. Lastly, neoprene is waterproof meaning the electronics do not come into contact with sweat during the performance.

Freedom of Movement: Costumes embedded with technology are often bulky and fragile, limiting the movement vocabulary available to dancers and choreographers. All of the components embedded in this costume have been carefully placed to avoid major joints. Rigid materials such as microcontrollers and batteries have also been strategically placed on concave parts of the body as to avoid strong impact that may be encountered during floor work.

Animal Companion - urbanSTEW

Animal Companion is an interactive installation commissioned for the Heard Museums 2015 summer exhibit on Superheroes. In this installation participants engage in an open and exploratory audio/visual environment presented in a gamelike format. The importance of animals in both contemporary and traditional superhero and Native American stories is a resonant theme for this installation and is the primary inspiration for our content development. Inspired by the Inupiaq videogame “Never Alone,” urbanSTEW provides participants with a rich environment weaving storytelling, cultural information and contemporary technology/gameplay. Similar to the beginning of “Never Alone,” the installation allows participants to explore the environment as a means to find their animal companion. 

In collaboration with the Heard Museum, urbanSTEW identified 6 unique animals for the installation.

BEAR
Bears are known for their great strength and wisdom. They are very serious and noble leaders with healing powers. They can be protectors of people and can use their powers to make sure people don’t misbehave. Even though they are large they can run very fast. They are good companions to have if you get injured or if your enemy is very powerful.

RACCOON
Raccoons are very clever and can use their paws to do many things, including escape from danger.  They already have a mask, made from the markings on their fur. They are curious about many things. Smart and mischievous, they can solve puzzles, open doors and even open cupboards with latches.  They can be funny and are capable of looking cute and harmless - but beware! They are actually very cunning. They can climb, be very sneaky, and will even hide in small spaces to watch what an enemy is doing.

RAVEN
Ravens are a very important as a superhero who can transform. They are especially honored by people of the Northwest and the Arctic if your journey takes you there.  Ravens are very intelligent and have great powers that can help people.  Ravens are also very clever tricksters. Known as risk-takers, they sometimes get into trouble - though they are usually smart enough to figure a way out.  In addition to being clever risk-takers, ravens also use their ability to fly to see the big picture. 

SEA OTTER
Sea otter companions are loyal and honest. They are fun with big personalities. Sea otters are smart, mischievous and not afraid of people. Clever and athletic, they are excellent swimmers but can also move on land, which makes them very adaptable. Otters can stand the cold and live in many different places. Depending on your challenge a sea otter's versatility can be very helpful.

WOLF
Wolves are animals of courage and strength. They are loyal companions and good hunters. Wolves are strong leaders that hunt in packs, which means they can call on pack members for help.  Wolves are fierce protectors when you are in danger. Wolves have a wonderful sense of smell and can run for miles. They can transform into other animals and even humans.  Because wolves are familiar with many parts of North America, they are helpful on long journeys.  

Contributing Artists:

Jessica Rajko (hardware and UX design)**
Stjepan Rajko (hardware and vision systems software)**
Lisa Tolentino (animation and interaction software)**
Robert Esler (interactive sound design)**
Chris Todd (animation)

**urbanSTEW directors

The Amyloid Project  - urbanSTEW

The Amyloid Project stems from a collaboration between urbanSTEW and ASU Physics research professor, Dr. Sara Vaiana. Dr. Vaiana’s research focuses on a newly discovered class of proteins found in the human body, called Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs), and particularly on ones that are involved in amyloid diseases. The final project resulted in two major pieces, an interactive steel sculpture inspired by the physical structure of amyloids and a 30 minute dance piece which used the steel sculpture as both a projection surface and climbable set piece. 

Contributing Artists:

Jessica Rajko (interaction design, choreography)**
Stjepan Rajko (interaction design)**
Lisa Tolentino (visual media design and performance)**
Robert Esler (interactive sound design, digital music composition and performance)**
Brian Korsedal (steel sculpture design and manufacturing)
Emmett Ramstad (sculpture textile and costume design)

**urbanSTEW directors

Project Inspiration: The importance of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) lies in their potential to better understand diseases such as such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes. IDPs, unlike other proteins, do not fold into well-defined 3-dimensional structures. This plasticity makes them susceptible to aggregate forming highly structured amyloid fibers. This stops them from carrying out their essential biological functions, and can lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s and diabetes. Dr. Vaiana is studying the unique properties of IDPs. This research is extremely complex but holds great potential to impact a large portion of our community, including people who suffer or know someone who suffers from diseases caused by protein aggregation.

The first iteration of The Amyloid Project was presented at the 2014 spark! Mesa’s Festival of Creativity. urbanSTEW, March 19 – 23, 2014.

INTONARUMORI - URBANSTEW’S NOISE MACHINES

Intonarumori: In 1913 Italian futurist Luigi Russolo built noise machines to recreate the sounds of the Industrial Revolution. In honor of the 100 year anniversary of The Art of Noises, urbanSTEW built noise machines to recreate the sounds of our current Digital Revolution. The final installation is a set of six machines, one for each of the classified “noise-sounds” found in Russolo’s manifesto. By playing with simple buttons, cranks, and levers users can create and manipulate sounds that are a familiar to our current digital soundscape.

Project Inspiration: 
Brief History of Intonarumori

The Intonarumori came from a futurist art movement fathered by experimental painter and composer Luigi Russolo.  Russolo was considered to be the first “noise artist.”  In 1913 he wrote L’Arte dei Rumori, translated as The Art of Noises.  In this Russolo stated that the industrial revolution had given modern men a greater capacity to appreciate more complex sounds. He found traditional melodic music confining and envisioned noise music as its future replacement.  Russolo’s Art of Noises classified “noise-sound” into six general groups:

1. Roars
2. Whistles
3. Whispers
4. Screeches
5. Bangs
6. Voices of animals and people

Intonarumori machines were designed to recreate the industrials sounds of the early 20thcentury.  Shaped like a box with a speaker on the front face, performers could generate sounds by manipulating levers, knobs, and buttons.  Futurist composers created symphonies for the machines, although early performances were often met with disapproval and even fist fights.  Since the Italian Futurist movement, many people have created their own Intonarumori machines, often with an open or translucent side so that the internal workings of the device are visible.