A Woman's Mind

Andrea Primm, Keith Neufeld

Original Concept

http://primmitiv.wordpress.com/2006/02/23/a-womans-mind

Appearance and Behavior

The exhibit will be housed in a cabinet/coffin-like structure.
Contained in the structure will be 3 shadow boxes "stacked" vertically approximately
one foot above each other. The boxes will be attached to the back of the structure
w/industrial looking "pegs" giving them a 3-D effect. Inside the top box will be a computer
monitor. The monitor will display a mouth in a neutral position. When people step in front
of the exhibit, it will trigger a sensor which will make the mouth smile. In the middle box,
there will be a heart which will expand and contract as well as a blinking light inside.
In the bottom box, there will be bags of candy for people's enjoyment. Behind the bags of candy
will be one of those spinning spiral scooby hypno eyes things.

Attached to the outside of the cabinet will be a series of picture frames on hinges. The
frame closest to the inside of the cabinet will have a cloth/canvas/something to draw on
stretched across it. On the canvas will be a drawing of a female torso, "the perfect form".
The subsequent frames will have a transparent drawing surface stretched over them. On each
individual frame will be the markings a surgeon would make for a plastic surgery procedure.
These frames will fold over the orginal to sort of illustrate how the form came to be.
The frames will be different sizes and will attach in different places on "arms" which extend
out from the cabinet. These frames will be attached to sensors, which, when moved, will highlight
different things inside of the cabinet.

The inside of the cabinet will have various magazine photos and phrases cut out from magazines
which promote the "physical" and "sexual" ideology which plagues woman culture. Suspended from
the ceiling in a weblike fashion will be shards of broken mirror suspended by fishing wire.

Draft of cabinet layout
Model of cabinet layout

Philosophy and Message

The philosophy behind this exhibit is to demonstrate the current state of womynkind and of womyn's
ideology, different cultural messages we receive from the media, and our inability to separate ourselves
from the being "girl/woman" we are taught from birth. Those of us who do, seem to still be "trapped" by the
image of "woman" due to the fact that we are struggling against a formal social norm demonstrated by a vast
majority.

Sensors

The project will incorporate a variety of sensors and responses. However, not all of the sensors
need to be interfaced with the LogoChip; some can control responses directly.

Planned/considered sensors include:

Microswitches on the swinging overlay frames, to detect how far "into" the exhibit a viewer has gone. They might directly light small spotlights to highlight portions of the cabinet.
Potentiometers on the swinging "implement" arms, to detect when a viewer is manipulating the scalpel, curling iron, and other implements of torture. These would interface to the LogoChip's A/D inputs and control facial reactions via Pd.
Ultrasonic rangefinders on the front of the exhibit, to detect when viewers are present and how close they are. They would interface to the LogoChip and also control facial reactions via Pd.
Possibly a weight-triggered microswitch on the "candy dish," to detect when it's empty and start the hypno-motor.

Construction Plans