Touched Echo by Markus Kison
One of the interactive artwork that inspires me over the years is Touched Echo by Markus Kison. It is a work that transmits audio samples of air bombing via bone conduction. Participants encounter the work as a small metal sign on a balustrade. The sign depicts a person with their elbow touching the balustrade and their hands cover their ears, a symbol for audio, and a date.
When participants follow the pose that is suggested by the sign, their forearms close the loop and make transmitting the vibration from the sound conductors that is mounted on the railing to their ears possible.
The thing I like most about the work is its simplicity. It transform the gesture of avoiding loud sound into a key to access the hidden audio sample of airplanes and bombs, twisting an intuitive gesture that is uncalled for into an echo chamber which you voluntarily walked in. Its approach to sound has the same kind of elegance that reminds me works of Janet Cardiff & George Miller. Their use of sound combining with minimal interaction create engaging experiences that blur the real space with imaginary space.
Official Website : http://www.markuskison.de/touched_echo.html