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Swissnex Window #5: Synthetic Interactions

Swissnex in Japan presents Synthetic interactions, the 5th exhibition of the Swissnex Window series, showcasing the innovative projects of the students of Master of Arts in Interaction Design SUPSI, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland - and the work by Curling Computer Club. The communication of the exhibition is curated by design studio Unstated.co. Through the lens of creative technology, the exhibition addresses the relation between contemporary images, algorithmic biases, and autonomous robotics embedded in everyday design objects.

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Swiss Design meets AI and robotics

The exhibition demonstrates the encounter between design, creative technology, artificial intelligence and robotics through three interactive projects:

  • GO2+ is a hack of a robot dog that reappropriates and extends the machine to turn it into a system of modular robotic furniture. Each GO2+ piece modifies and expands the semi-autonomous robot, transforming it into a playful exploration of how product design can evolve in response to contemporary software and robotics.
  • Tangible Algorithm is an installation of three drawing machines and a series of diverse pictures analyzed by an algorithm, which performs metadata extraction, object recognition, and classification (utilizing a pre-trained Machine Learning model) until it reaches a final decision on whether the content should be censored.
  • Echoes of exclusion demonstrates how AI inherently carries biases and can perpetuate discrimination by the synthetic interpretation of visitors’ images read by an AI service.

Tangible algorithm and Echoes of Exclusion are the results of the course Prototyping interactive installations 23-24 led by Leonardo Angelucci. The exhibition project is led by Leonardo Angelucci, Serena Cangiano and Marco De Mutiis within the initiatives of SUPSI Master of Arts in Interaction Design and the head of program dr. prof. Massimo Botta. The project is a collaboration among architecture and design companies based in Canton Ticino – Veragouth e Xilema, Cristallina SA – together with the contribution of the two Japanese organizations Tokyo Photography Research and FabCafe Kyoto.

 

 

Exhibitors

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    Bio

    SUPSI MAInD Master

    The Master of Arts (MA) in Interaction Design SUPSI combines design thinking, prototyping techniques, digital fabrication, programming, and physical computing in one study program addressing the realization of projects in which the interaction between the design culture and the technological development allows to generate design-driven innovations.
    www.maind.supsi.ch

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    Bio

    Alice Mioni, Alessandro Plantera, Sophie Sprugasci

    SUPSI MAInD Master students

    Interaction Designers, class 2024-2025

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    Bio

    Cathrine Hansen, Hanna Kastrytsa, Amina Fatou Cissé

    SUPSI MAInD Master students

    Interaction Designers, class 2024-2025 with the creative tech development of Matteo Subet.

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    Bio

    Curling Computer Club

    The Curling Computer Club is a studio for experimental design, creative media and digital art. It operates as an interdisciplinary creative collective and playground, hacking digital and network technologies and exploring their potential in contemporary design and art.

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    Bio

    Unstated.co

    UNSTATED is a Zürich–based agency that merges the physical and digital worlds through technology and design. We are committed to creating work that adapts to our changing environment. The studio was founded to bring together professionals with complementary skills under one roof. These experts 
work in the fields of design, technology, culture and education.

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    Bio

    Mayumi Hosokura

    Born in Kyoto, Hosokura Mayumi experiments with photographic imagery to question the boundaries regarded as natural between the organic and the mineral, the human and the animal, the human and the machine, as well as racial or sexual identities. Her work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions in Japan and abroad, as well as solo exhibitions, notably Walking, Diving (Takuro Someya Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 2023), New Skin (mumei, Tokyo, Japan, 2019) , and Jubilee (nomad nomad studio, Hong Kong, 2017). She has published several books, including New Skin (MACK, 2020), Jubilee (artbeat publishers, 2017), and Transparency is the New Mystery (MACK, 2016).

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    Bio

    Yumiko Utsu

    Born in Tokyo in 1978. Withdrew from the School of Letters, Arts and Sciences I at Waseda University and completed the Professional Photographer Course at Tokyo School of Photography. After working at Shoto Studio, began artistic activities around 2005. Since 2006, has been a lecturer at Tokyo School of Photography. Creates works by combining animals, insects, plants, objects, figurines, and illustrations, drawing inspiration from the subjects. This unique worldview evokes a sense of playful interaction with objects, reminiscent of childhood experiences. Participated in solo and group exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, including “Hakobune no Soto” (G/P gallery, Tokyo) and “Out of Focus: Photography” (Saatchi Gallery, London). Published photobooks such as Hakobune no Soto (Art Beat Publishers, 2009) and Wunderkammer (Fugen-sha, 2023), as well as numerous zines, including PORTRAIT, Utsutsu no Yume, and Charming Charms. Winner of the 26th Hitotsubo Exhibition Grand Prix (2006).

    Photo credit © Yuki Shimizu

Organizers

  • Swissnex
  • SUPSI

Supported by

  • SUPSI Department of environment constructions and design
  • Swissnex
  • Veragouth Xilema
  • Cristallina SA
  • Presence Switzerland

Partners

  • FabCafe Kyoto
  • Tokyo Photographic Research
  • Swiss Pavilion

Contact

    Fiammetta Pennisi

    Head of Art-Science
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