the world of ollie palmer2009-11-17T20:22:04ZWordPresshttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/feed/atom/Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comSending stuff to spacehttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/2009/11/17/sending-stuff-to-space/2009-11-17T20:17:46Z2009-11-17T14:24:52ZHmm, it’s getting cheaper to send things into space…
Project Icarus at MIT sent a camera to near space for $150 (more).
Toshiba made this film sending a chair to near-orbit (more).
Steve Truglia is planning to leap from a balloon at a silly height. He has lots more money, though.
He’s been inspired by Kittinger – whose jump [...]
Hmm, it’s getting cheaper to send things into space…
Project Icarus at MIT sent a camera to near space for $150 (more).
Toshiba made this film sending a chair to near-orbit (more).
Steve Truglia is planning to leap from a balloon at a silly height. He has lots more money, though.
He’s been inspired by Kittinger – whose jump can be seen in this video by the Boards of Canada…(you may also want to check out my earlier blog post)
Playing with space might be fun. Anyone agree?
Posted via web from Unit 14
0Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comBurtynskyhttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/2009/11/17/burtynsky/2009-11-17T20:22:04Z2009-11-17T14:08:40Z
Amazing photographs / inspirational landscapes.
We used Burtynsky as part of Perry Kulper’s workshop at the Bartlett earlier this year.
Posted via email from Unit 14
Amazing photographs / inspirational landscapes.
Posted via email from Unit 14
0Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comOyster meltinghttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=5342009-11-17T00:30:04Z2009-11-17T00:29:26Z
As part of another project (as-yet-unblogged), I’ve been looking at RFID tags – and more specifically, how they can be used within robotic and entomological systems. The wasp below is sporting an RFID tag that costs €3 as part of a study of wasp movements (image credits: ZSL – for more on that, click here…). [...]
As part of another project (as-yet-unblogged), I’ve been looking at RFID tags – and more specifically, how they can be used within robotic and entomological systems. The wasp below is sporting an RFID tag that costs €3 as part of a study of wasp movements (image credits: ZSL – for more on that, click here…). RFID is becoming an everyday commodity…
One of the most commonly accepted RFID systems in operation is the Oyster card. I put mine into a glass full of nail varnish in order to remove the chip inside.
After a few hours, the adhesive holding the components together was degraded to such an extent that the whole thing was a floppy mess, ready to be peeled apart.
This is version 2.6 of the Oyster card – previous versions contained copper wire, but this one uses conductive ink as the arial. The flexible centre is now ready for embedding into anything – e.g. a jacket sleeve – ready for use. The pencil points towards the “ID” part, which contains the chip’s all-important frequency.
0Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comChris Warehttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=5282009-11-10T13:35:51Z2009-11-07T20:01:04ZOne of my favourite graphic artists is Chris Ware. His books are fantastically intricate, poetic, and examine in miserly detail the mundanities of American life with referential nods towards ’20s Jazz artwork, typography and George Herriman. Its form is perfectly suited to the format it takes – namely beautiful books. So you can imagine how [...]
One of my favourite graphic artists is Chris Ware. His books are fantastically intricate, poetic, and examine in miserly detail the mundanities of American life with referential nods towards ’20s Jazz artwork, typography and George Herriman. Its form is perfectly suited to the format it takes – namely beautiful books. So you can imagine how much I shuddered at the thought that the cartoons had been converted to an animated format.
Fortunately, however, I wasn’t disappointed by the first Quimby Mouse I managed to find online. Enjoy!
Quimby The Mouse from This American Life on Vimeo.
1Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comMis en abyme videoshttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=5092009-11-07T00:17:42Z2009-11-06T22:57:55Z
This week the Mis en Abyme project has moved out of the realm of the purely hypothetical, research-based project and into the real world – and a step closer to the abyss of the meta-world.
And about bloody time, too, I say. The project has a fairly tight deadline – but then, we’re learning from Hofstadter:
Hofstadter's Law: it always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.
So, what did we do?
First, we plugged a MacBook Pro into an external screen. Then we pointed its webcam at said screen – so effectively, there was a camera looking at a screen with the image from the camera on it. Then we pressed ‘record’. That’s it. No extra processing effects, or flash or anything like that. A camera looking at its own image produces a fairly interesting repeat-to-eternity effect, with a slight time delay between each enclosed image change. The effect can be domeonstarated by moving things about on screen, as shown here.
Please bear in mind that these videos arefairly raw and uncut. They’re ore sketches than polished, beautiful items, but should give an idea where this is headed.
Then we tried all sorts of things with looping videos. We put a prerecorded and a live video on the screen.
We put the screen sideways. This meant that our eternal repeats were each turned 90º – so the repetition turns fairly nicely into a spiral.
This video is the motherload – it lasts 8 minutes and tests loads of different things at once. It’s sideways, it has repeating videos (each with their own repeating videos inside), and the centre of the screen frequently turns into a orb. The more technically-minded amongst you will be able to decipher what is going on.
One of the most interesting things is the screen’s inclination to ‘breathe’ when nothing is happening. I assume this is due to the auto-contrast within the camera and screen, but it almost seems like the screen is alive, active even when doing nothing.
There are quite a few visual effects that emerged from this little series of experiments. The project is due to have a bit more juice pumped into it over the next few weeks – it’s pretty clear that there’s still a fair amount to go before this is an immersive, all-body experience.
View all of the videos onvimeo, and see the images on Flickr.
0Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comGettyhttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=4992009-11-06T22:04:02Z2009-11-06T21:59:43ZGood news – Ollie’s photography is now available to license on gettyimages.com. The “by olliepalmer.com” library will grow over time!
It is a privilege to be invited to be part of one of the world’s great photo-libraries. Now a global audience is able to buy photographs that I have taken from around the world to use and re-interpret [...]
Good news – Ollie’s photography is now available to license on gettyimages.com. The “by olliepalmer.com” library will grow over time!
It is a privilege to be invited to be part of one of the world’s great photo-libraries. Now a global audience is able to buy photographs that I have taken from around the world to use and re-interpret creatively. It’s fantastic to know that your work could be helping others create.
If you like my photography, click here to see more on my website (hideously unorganised), or here to see more on my Flickr stream (along with lots of other, less pretty pictures).
2Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comMy, What a Strange Loophttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=4572009-10-29T22:36:36Z2009-10-29T22:36:36ZI am currently in the research phase for a new project in Unit 14. Whilst I’m not in a position to show off any fancy drawings, diagrams or bits of circuitry yet, I thought perhaps a list of the influences that are working their way into this subject might give a preview of where it [...]
I am currently in the research phase for a new project in Unit 14. Whilst I’m not in a position to show off any fancy drawings, diagrams or bits of circuitry yet, I thought perhaps a list of the influences that are working their way into this subject might give a preview of where it may go…
The following statement is true.
The previous sentence is false.
Mis en Abyme / Strange Loops / Infinity / Voids
Introversion, self-reference and meta-reality abound; the theme I’m working with is the concept of a thing in a thing. Mis en Abyme, literally translated, means ‘into the abyss’. Kind of like a Russian doll – but an infinite one.
Hofstadter investigates this in Gödel, Escher, Bach – the paradoxes that exist within each of these genius’ works are remarkably similar.
Expect an experience that is simultaneously introverted and ethereal; esoteric yet accessible. As I say, development is in progress, but here’s a list of influences so far (by no means exhaustive):
General points-of-reference
Optical illusions, magic, puppetry…plus other influences include all of the usual suspects, plus music videos, short films, etc, including: this book, this video, of course this group, this video, this one is equally cheesy, these projects, this studio (of course), fractals, ths photographer, these guys, this image is jerky and pixellates badly but a nice idea, you’ll regret this image, this guy, etc etc. (If you’re interested in my influences, check out my delicious stream, or head to Ruairi’s blog at interactivearchitectrue.org)
Click on the images below to be taken to their source. Images are property of their respective copyright holders.
1Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comInnovationhttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=4472009-10-21T06:17:15Z2009-10-21T06:11:34Z
If you don’t have a chair that fits the gap, make one. Just hack off the back legs and make it your own. Seen here.
If you don’t have a chair that fits the gap, make one. Just hack off the back legs and make it your own. Seen here.
0Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.comThree gun anecdoteshttp://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=4362009-10-16T15:53:04Z2009-10-16T15:26:49Z
In celebration of my latest toy gun project, here are three anecdotes regarding guns.
1. Feliks Topolski
Feliks Topolski’s stepfather was in the army. Consequently, Feliks found one of the guns that was in the house, and accidentally shot his 14-year old cousin in the head. A painting of this fateful moment can be found [...]
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In celebration of my latest toy gun project, here are three anecdotes regarding guns.
1. Feliks Topolski
Feliks Topolski’s stepfather was in the army. Consequently, Feliks found one of the guns that was in the house, and accidentally shot his 14-year old cousin in the head. A painting of this fateful moment can be found near the entrance to Topolski Century – the artist’s memoir of the century – under the Hungerford Bridge in London.
2. William S. Burrough’s "William Tell" Trick
William S. Burroughs, contemporary of Alan Ginsberg and famed for writing seminal opiate-influenced books such as Naked Lunch, shot and killed his wife in Mexico. Reportedly, during a party, Burroughs said to his wife "It’s time for our William Tell trick."
(It is worth noting here that they had never before done a William Tell trick.) She put an apple on her head, he raised his revolver, aimed for the apple, and shot her in the head. This prompted the unusual situation whereby Burroughs fled the law to the USA, before spending a few years drifting around South America in search of hallucinogenic drug Yagé.
3. My sister and I
My mother experimented with the theory of nature vs nurture. When I was a child, my mother gave me dolls to play with, hoping to nurture my caring, feminine side. My sister received guns, hoping that she might toughen up a tad.
And what became of this? I placed the dolls into the rear compartment of my Tonka truck, and rode around the garden trying to drive over them and burst their heads off, whilst my sister lovingly cared for her guns as if they were little children.
4. Boston
Sneaky fourth anecdote…in Boston politicians rallied to ban Super Soaker water guns in 1992 after gang members filled them with ammonia.
0Ollie Palmerhttp://www.olliepalmer.com“It’s my turn with Gunny…”http://olliepalmer.com/blogblogblog/?p=4032009-10-16T15:26:26Z2009-10-16T15:26:26ZIn Unit 14 at Bartlett, we’re interested in the way that people interact with objects, spaces, and things. We look at other things too, but interaction is a big part of what we do.
I have been looking at guns. Toy guns. Lots of ‘em.
Fundamentally, toy guns are weird. We’ve had them for the past few [...]
In Unit 14 at Bartlett, we’re interested in the way that people interact with objects, spaces, and things. We look at other things too, but interaction is a big part of what we do.
I have been looking at guns. Toy guns. Lots of ‘em.
Fundamentally, toy guns are weird. We’ve had them for the past few hundred years. The idea that you have a toy that is a replica of an object used to slaughter your fellow man is a tad odd. You don’t really get so many toy guillotines or toy electric chairs, so why guns? What makes little boys love them? Why do countless generations run around fields pretending to shoot each other?
Whilst I am not going to try and solve every question you could have about guns, here’s an overview of my gun rationale. Please note that toy guns are not just for boys, but I’ve characterised the end user as a boy for the sakes of continuity.
This is one of a few projects I’m working on at the moment. It may seem macabre, but I have a fascination with object that you instinctively know how to use. Over the next few months I will be developing a few prototypes and thought experiments regarding toy guns. Watch this space.
Here’s the ‘manual Powerpoint’ presentation that got me thinking about guns.
Guns guns guns
You never find a boy with a gun.
You find a cowboy with a gun.
You find a spy with a gun.
You find a policeman (or robber) with a gun.
You find a spaceman with a gun.
You find a soldier with a gun.
Pushing it a little, you find a pirate with a gun.
You find a monster with a gun. Or the guy who kills monsters. With a gun.
You find a superhero with a gun.
In short, a gun puts you on top of the world.
With a gun, the power shifts; you cease being a child. You are holding in your hand a tool that could kill – or maim – anything. In your imagination, of course. Toy guns fuel a fantastical role-play whereby a child becomes an authority figure.
How do we play with guns?
1. Solo
A boy runs around and shoots inanimate objects. Take that, dog.
2. Active participant
A boy shoots at someone. They pretend to have been shot. The boy laughs. They shoot the person again. They pretend to have been shot again. Repeat ad infinitum (somehow this joke never tires).
3. Protection
A child assumes role of bodyguard.
4. Battle
Two children have guns. They shoot at each other. Neither wants to be the first to die.
5. War
Lots of kids have guns. Nobody wants to die.
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