The concept for byProxy came from my fascination with the new languages and forms of communication that have come out of the vast communities of the internet. The languages have developed at an extremely fast pace and are very specific to the needs of the users. There are many limitations inherent in real-time textual communication, and the new icons, proxies, abbreviations and standards that have emerged are quickly expanding our cultural possibilities.

Below is the original proposal submitted to New Radio and the Performing Arts. There have been some changes along the way, some enhancements, and some elements that were not yet feasible with available technology. Remaining, however, is still the idea of communicating to others through your proximity to an object.

Proposal:

Byproxy: Communicating Through Words

There is a dichotomy in all paths between speed and precision. The faster an action is performed, the more likely an error is to occur. The faster data is sent the more likely it is to arrive corrupted. The faster you talk, the more likely you are to say something wrong. Slow, pensive speech is considered to be ideal, yet we live in a society that seems to move faster and faster.

One method often used to facilitate and speed communication is to use a standard representation, rather than your own words. This can be found in numerous incarnations throughout the society of the internet, either through anagrams, or symbols, or representatives. The vast use of short burts of letters to represent emotions or concepts has gone so far as to lead to anagrams of anagrams:

  • brb - be right back
  • rofl - rolling on the floor laughing
  • g - grin

Symbols are so strongly used that they have in some cases been standardized, such as the case of emoticons:

  • :-) smile
  • ;-) wink
  • :-o shock

While you can quickly express an idea, the vocabulary is limited and the complexity is diminished.

This type of communication is not relegated to the realm of the internet. People often choose another to speak for them for lack of time or to speed communication. This takes many forms, from filling out a proxy form to donating to a grass roots organization. The same person may choose more than one proxy or change proxies, in order to better represent themselves. It is this idea, which I wish to elaborate on in the medium of the Web.

Byproxy will be a form of internet communication restricted to the use of proxies. People will go to chat rooms, but they will be unable to type. Rather they will, in a 3D virtual environment, walk up to an object and the object will then speak on their behalf. The closer a user approaches an object, the faster it will speak for them. Everyone in the chat room will see that that person is speaking, and in order to respond, will seek out an object that conveys their feelings. All of the users will be able to speak much faster than they would be able to type, but the vocabulary will be reduced.

The virtual environment will use the new 3D medium of the web: VRML. This medium allows for complex interactive virtual experiences to be published over the web. In this case it will also be a metaphor for the layer that is imposed on communication by the use of symbols and anagrams. In the 3d space the objects will have motion and sound associated with them to imply their position. They will be constantly shifting and changing, as will what they say. The resulting random variations will make mere static alignment difficult. Additionally, all the phrases said by the virtual proxies will be taken from real Internet chats and discussion. How these discussions will reassemble themselves will be dependent on the participants.

Bio:

Mike Mittelman is a digital artist with a BA in Studio Art from Wesleyan University. He has been working with computers consistently for a decade, but recently began to use them as a medium as well as a tool.

His Senior Art Thesis was on publishing 3D art and conveying human expression through digital and digital-inspired geometric sculptures. In the past year he has worked with artnetweb on their exhibit at MIT entitled "PORT: Navigating Digital Culture" as well as exhibiting in the show. Since that time he co-founded 4space, a group of digital artists which was involved with Jordan Crandall’s exhibit at Documenta in Germany.

His current work focuses on the shifting medium of VRML and it’s ability to express complex ideas in simple shapes, sounds, and motion.