Código de la nostalgia

Nostalgia Code is an interactive work that combines the analysis of facial expressions in real time with a modified visual representation and an auditory experience of sounds associated with the detected expressions. 8-bit sounds are fused with ASCII visual aesthetics to create an immersive experience that transports viewers to a nostalgic temporal space. The simplicity of 8-bit tones intertwines with the retro aesthetic of ASCII characters, generating an emotional resonance reminiscent of the golden age of early video games and personal desktop computers. This conjunction of elements, which encompasses the visual and the auditory, seeks to immerse the viewer in a sensory journey that evokes nostalgia, triggering memories of a bygone era.

Technical, aesthetic and conceptual development:

As in the Happenings, the work requires the active participation of the public. The viewer is not simply a passive observer, but also influences the work through the webcam by interacting with the sounds and visual representation. The existence of the work is awakened only when the viewer decides to get involved and take control of the experience. Without their interaction, the work lies in a latent state. Exploring, discovering and triggering responses is when the work comes to life. The essence of this creation is interactivity; Without the active participation of the viewer, the work does not manifest itself.

The unique experience generated by the active participation of the viewer resonates with the notion of the search for irreproducibility in contemporary art. Each individual interaction with the work becomes a unique and ephemeral experience, shaped by the specific actions of each participant. Thus, the interactive work becomes a contemporary manifestation of ‘an art of formats, an epic of formats in flight’, where the transience of each individual experience contributes to the richness and complexity of the contemporary artistic panorama.

The work integrates visual and auditory elements in an everyday context, using modern technology. This integration reflects the notion that art can exist beyond the boundaries of galleries and museums, inserting itself into daily life through webcam interaction and real-time visual representation.

The face-api.js library is responsible for loading facial detection and expression recognition models. The webcam captures video in real time, and the library detects faces to identify emotions. Happy and sad expressions are identified and activate sounds. For visual representation, p5.js is used which converts the webcam video stream into ASCII art. Each pixel is converted to a text character with different character densities to represent variation in color intensity.

Literature

• AIRA, César. (2013). Sobre el arte contemporáneo.
• KAPROW, Allan. (1961). Happenings en la escena newyorkina.