videomaton
File Festival

The initial idea was to engage audiences with the classical paintings. The installation tries to transform the classical portraits into memorable and playful experiences. In short, by looking into a mirror a face of participant is captured by the system. Next, the captured face travels into one of the classical portraits. Hence, the viewer is invited into the gallery in order to recognize him or herself in one of the paintings. In other words, the art piece replaces the original painted faces by the faces of the audience. To be more specific, the authors have created an original face-morphing that integrates itself into the well-know portraits, like Meninas by Goya. To put in a nutshell, the common experience of modern art is replaced by a novel, playful and enjoyable encounter. The installation creates a framework of expression where audience spontaneously and freely interact in front of a mirror knowing that they are recorded. The results are experience by all audience in the gallery. The project was produced in 2011 as a commission of interactive art project for the new City Council of Madrid curated by Chema Conesa. “Videomaton” was presented in the opening of new City Council of Madrid located in the Cibeles square. The installation was exhibited for a year in the institution. The aim of the exhibit was displaying the famous art pieces of Madrid museums in a novel way.