video documentation

View: wheel image

It is difficult to imagine, that in our society, a person could live without committing any one of the seven deadly sins. In a culture where media saturation and instant gratification are the norm, it is next to impossible to live a virtuous life and would lead one to believe that the sins are irrelevant. Yet, there is frequent opposition between cultural emphases on over indulgence and lack of responsibility for one's self versus puritanical ideologies from conservative fanatics at the other end of the spectrum. This opposition leads me to a re-examination of the seven deadly sins, not as vices to avoid, but as devices used to initiate reflection upon one's life.

The project, the Seven Deadlies, translates the 'sinner beware' doctrine into a carnival game, where the user is required to spin an illuminated wheel to receive a message. The game format removes the participant from the somber stigma of the deadly sins and turns it into something entertaining and enticing. By distancing the viewer from the sins, s/he is left to participate in the game guilt free, without implications of being a sinner, that is, until s/he receives a fortune in the form of a video prophecy. I am not trying to prophesize or perform divination, but rather am trying to place viewers into a situation that will cause them to reflect upon the sin that they have spun in regards to their own circumstances. There are opportunities on the wheel to land on a sin's opposing virtue, but the chances are slim, as is a sin-free life in contemporary society.

Tech: Image/video edited with Photoshop, Final Cut Pro and AfterEffects. Programmed in MAX/MSP with Jitter.

Equipment: Laptop, mini LCD screen, web camera, rotary sensor, teleo micro-controller and inkjet print attached to plexi (approx 8 ft tall and 3 ft wide).