Thew Heart Library Project
An arts-in-health project exploring the experience of interacting with a heart-rate controlled artwork, and the ways people describe this experience through hand-drawn ‘body-maps’.
After their interaction with the video, participants can contribute a response to the work in the form of a hand-drawn experience map.
These contributions constitute ‘The Heart Library’—a celebration and reflection of the body as a living experience, imbued with feelings, memories and imagination.
“At first it was abstract – and then it was personal”
“What really interested me was that if I had a thought that was self-critical – then all the dots went red – then when I said ‘I accept myself – it all went blue. I thought ‘how quick is that!’ …Just knowing that I’m capable of big things …and at the moment I’m dealing with a life-threatening illness – so that’s important for me – that I’m actually capable of stepping into another realm as well”
Transcripts of interviews with exhibition visitors at St. Vincent’s Public Hospital, Darlinghurst.
The Heart Library Project combines interactive heart rate controlled audio-visuals with audience participation to create a unique environment where people can reflect, explore and share experiences of embodiment and presence.
Participants experience the work laying down on a specially designed bed - and view a life-size image of themselves on an overhead video. The video image creates the impression that they are floating, immmersed in a pool of dappled light.
Changes in their heart rate (influenced through slow breathing and stress or relaxation responses) alter the colour and movement of a projected image of their own body floating above. The dappled light patterns become redder in colour as their heart rate gets faster, and then yellow, green and eventually blue if / when they have reached their most relaxed state and their heart rate is at its slowest.
By voluntarily imagining or remembering certain experiences – exciting or stressful, peaceful or quiet – you can learn to affect the appearance of the artwork.
Exhibition History
2017
The Big Anxiety Festival, ‘Mobile Mood Lab’ mobile solo exhibition of heart-rate controlled artworks, curated by Jill Bennet, various locations around Greater Sydney, NSW, Australia.
2015
Group Therapy: Mental Distress in a Digital Age, group exhibition curated by Vanessa Bartlet. FACT (Foundation for Art And Creative Technology), Liverpool, March 5th - May 17th 2015.
2012
Wonderland: New Contemporary Art from Australia, group exhibition curated by Antoanetta Ivanova, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Taipei, Taiwan.
2009
The Heart Library Project: St. Vincent’s, Level 4, Xavier Building, St. Vincent’s Public Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia. July 7th - 19th, 2009.
2008
Mirror States, group exhibition curated by Kathy Cleland and Lizzie Muller, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia. 8 July–24 August 2008.
Mirror States, group exhibition curated by Kathy Cleland and Lizzie Muller, MIC Toi Rerehiko (Moving Image Centre), Auckland, New Zealand. 16 May–5 July 2008.
Enfoldings & Disclosures, exhibition with Lisa Jones. Collaboration with Caitlin Newton-Broad and David Morris-Oliveros, curated by Anneka Jaspers, UTS Gallery, Sydney, Australia. 11 Mar 2008 - 11 Apr 2008.
2007
The Living Room Project, creative development residency led by Sheila Ghelani, Caitlin Newton Broad, and Emma Wolukau-Wanambwa, Performance Space, Carriageworks, Redfern, Australia. September-October, 2007.
Production Credits
George Poonkhin Khut: Concept, art direction and sound
David Morris-Oliveros: Computer programming - visuals
Jason McSweeney: Computer programming - analysis
Caitlin Newton-Broad: Concept development
Annie Laerkesen: Exhibition technical production
Frank Maguire: Heart-sensor fabrication
Kaeko Tanigawa: Design consultant and fabrication assistant
Naomi Derrick & Julia Landrey: Body-mapping interviews
Acknowledgements
The Heart Library Project: St. Vincent’s has been generously supported by the following organisations and individuals: the Australian Government through the Australia Council its arts funding and advisory body; dLux Media Arts; St. Vincent’s Campus Art Committee; Fraser Studios and Queen Street Studios; Xenian Living Light; UTS Gallery; UTS Creativity & Cognition Studios; Lizzie Muller & Kathy Cleland; Campbelltown Arts Centre; MIC Toi Rerehiko, Auckland; Lisa Colley and The Arts & Health Foundation; Bill & George Studio, Redfern; and Totugua Studios, St. Peters.
Special thanks to David Morris-Oliveros and Jason McSweeney for their generos participation in the development of the software for this project; Katarina Cvitcovic, Kim Vaughan and Garry Nicholls for making this exhibition possible in the first place; and all the volunteers and colleagues who have helped to realise this project: Rhys Cumpstone, Naomi Derrick, Kaeko Tanigawa, Steve Evans, Somaya Langley, Bec Dean, Julianne Campbell, Khahien Hyunh and Sam James.