Zaport-LookingOutwards06

Drawing by Numbers (2007)

Alexandre Castonguay and Mathieu Bouchard

CMU Library ID: N 7433.85

Drawing by Numbers is an interactive drawing machine that responds to a participant’s movements. Created by Alexandre Castonguay and Mathieu Bouchard in 2007, this machine is able to capture movement using a video camera and then replicate that movement on a canvas. I enjoy the interactive nature of this piece. However, as a drawing machine that relies on interaction, it doesn’t feel interactive enough. The way I currently understands this piece is that it captures a person’s body (position, shape, etc.) and etches that into the wall. In this regard, it seems to lack a truly interactive or performative quality. Nevertheless, it is a neat idea that has broad application.