Alex Kurina is a designer and new media artist who is quickly approaching the ripe age of 30 while spending the majority of his time in Toronto, Canada. Among other prestigious, nonphysical objects, Alex holds a BFA form Ryerson University. Despite these aforementioned facts, and when he is not making things with Play Airways, he manages to enjoy music made by computers, the future, interactive art, evolution, architecture and burritos.
In our world of hyper constructed reality, unRealityVRC plays with notions of "reality TV" and examines how it shapes our concept of what is actually real.
Flip through a television on any given day. Within a few clicks, you're likely to stumble on to some form of reality television. This one way media feed, spanning hundreds of channels, takes reality, rebrands and repackages it, and presents it back to us as even better than the real thing. It's more exciting, more frightening, funnier and sexier than its ordinary counter part and it provides us with hours of cheap and engrossing entertainment.
Incorporating language and concepts akin to video remixing, user generated art, sampling, jamming and graphic design, unRealityVRC lets users deconstruct a traditionally one way image-discharge in a unique and tactile way. Users will create multi-layered, pop culture infused images with a lo-fi aesthetic, incorporating bits and pieces from current television programming. Participants will engage with a screen by touching large icons and gesturing with their hands. Switching from one channel to the next, they will pick from an almost infinite palate of images, colour and video loops. Each new channel, edit or show presents them with any number of image combinations. Users will be able to sample from any cable signal and reconfigure images to produced original works of art. Motion sensors and a touch sensitive display will be the only interface making the experience as tactile and engaging as possible. unRealityVRC will consist of a standalone terminal/consul comprising of one touch screen for users to manipulate live television and a projection so others can see what they are up to and view the final product.
Draw / Blockout / Average Colour / Split Image / Switch Layers
- A computer (with video card to accept cable signal)
- Cable signal
- Switch
- Remote control (Hacked)
- Touch Screen (4:3 ratio)
- Projector
- An old television set (housing)
- Material for consol housing
- Camera?
Justice - DVNO (watch)
Brazil - Central Services