Body Paint

Body Paint is a visual instrument that enables you to paint on a virtual canvas with your body. Playing on our natural instinct to express ourselves through movement and dance, Body Paint interprets our physical gestures into evolving compositions.

Body Paint is about the sensational experience and interaction captured through motion and the energy of the body. Body Paint connects with our human subconscious desire to create by inviting visitors to interact with the artwork using the body as a tool.

Body Paint was created in 2009, originally as a live performance. It has been exhibited around the world, including in hospitals, correctional facilities and public spaces.

What is important about Body Paint is the action of movement, the sensation of “playing” – not the final output. Memo compares this to the motivation to play an instrument like a piano, where the goal is not always to compose or record.

The work utilizes a 1ch HD projection, infrared camera, infrared emitter and custom software.

Memo Akten is a computational artist, engineer and computer scientist working with emerging technologies to create images, sounds, experimental films, large-scale responsive installations and performances.

Fascinated by trying to understand the nature of nature and the human condition, he works in and draws inspiration from fields such as biological and artificial intelligence, computational creativity, perception, consciousness, neuroscience, fundamental physics, ritual and religion.

He recently completed a PhD from Goldsmiths University of London in Artificial Intelligence/Deep Learning and expressive human-machine interaction, and is Assistant Professor of Computational Arts at University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Akten received the Prix Ars Electronica Golden Nica for his work ‘Forms’ in 2013 and has exhibited and performed internationally.

He has also collaborated with celebrities such as Lenny Kravitz, U2, Depeche Mode and Professor Richard Dawkins.

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