Decode: Digital Design Sensations

Yesterday I went to the Decode exhibition at the V&A museum. The exhibition as a whole was fresh and exciting, unlike any other art and design exhibition I have been to. Split into three sections decode investigates the computer Code as a design tool, Interactivity, and how Network charts or reworks traces we leave behind.

One of my favourite pieces was Daan Roosegaarde's Dune, an interactive piece consisting of reeds topped with LED lights that react to sound and movement, lighting up as you walk through them creating a sort of ever changing fantasy world.

Another piece which interested me for it's use of technolgy was Fabrica's Venetian Mirror. When you first stand in front of the mirror you see nothing, but gradually your reflection begins to appear. While surrounded by instantly rewarding pieces in this exhibition one might walk past this mirror and disregard it instantly, it is only when you invest the time in this piece that you reap the rewards. I find this piece rather ironic; in todays society technology arms us with the tools for instant gratification, communication and knowledge, and while this piece is created with the latest technologies the creators make us wait for the end result, perhaps reminding us that in order to appreciate things in life we need to slow down and take a step back.

more on this exhibition to follow...