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Kellie Dunn
Interactive Migraine Aura
Paper, foam core, fabric, plastic, and electronic components. 2018 27” x 19” x 5” plus hat $300 Website: www.kelliead.com Washington, USA Video by Kellie Dunn Audio by McKerrin Kelly |
ABOUT THE ARTWORK:
“Migraine is a common but often misunderstood invisible disability.
The media I used to create the representation are well suited to this purpose. The repeating origami tessellations evoke the geometric aesthetic of a fortification spectrum aura, and when pulled by the servo they move in a similarly hypnotic manner. The flashing LEDs simulate the shimmering, blinking nature of the hallucination and illuminate the psychedelic rainbow of colors painted onto the origami and the board. Flashing lights are also a common trigger for people with migraine (viewer beware!). The speed of the blinking and the movement of the origami are controlled by the viewer via a wearable interface: an interactive hat with pressure sensors on only the right side of the head, because migraines are usually one-sided. The gesture of putting your hands on your head, and squeezing or massaging it, is familiar for people with migraine. This mode of interaction physically puts the viewer into the pose of someone experiencing a migraine. The pressure sensor extends to the temple and the back of the neck, two areas that are often painful or problematic during an attack.
In general, the use of electrical circuits in this piece is an appropriate metaphor for the ways that the neurological system functions, and the ways in which technology is playing a role in the treatment of this condition. In contrast, the incorporation of origami, a centuries-old art form, is a nod to the long documented history of migraine and its common occurrence in artists all around the world.”
-Kellie Dunn
The media I used to create the representation are well suited to this purpose. The repeating origami tessellations evoke the geometric aesthetic of a fortification spectrum aura, and when pulled by the servo they move in a similarly hypnotic manner. The flashing LEDs simulate the shimmering, blinking nature of the hallucination and illuminate the psychedelic rainbow of colors painted onto the origami and the board. Flashing lights are also a common trigger for people with migraine (viewer beware!). The speed of the blinking and the movement of the origami are controlled by the viewer via a wearable interface: an interactive hat with pressure sensors on only the right side of the head, because migraines are usually one-sided. The gesture of putting your hands on your head, and squeezing or massaging it, is familiar for people with migraine. This mode of interaction physically puts the viewer into the pose of someone experiencing a migraine. The pressure sensor extends to the temple and the back of the neck, two areas that are often painful or problematic during an attack.
In general, the use of electrical circuits in this piece is an appropriate metaphor for the ways that the neurological system functions, and the ways in which technology is playing a role in the treatment of this condition. In contrast, the incorporation of origami, a centuries-old art form, is a nod to the long documented history of migraine and its common occurrence in artists all around the world.”
-Kellie Dunn
BIO:
Kellie Dunn is an artist who has experienced episodic or chronic migraines for most of her life. She graduated with a BA in Drama from the University of California, Irvine, in 2002, and has been working as a professional costume craft artisan for performing arts companies across the US ever since. Kellie specializes in performer-friendly wearable pieces made of sculptural materials, and is interested in the intersections of art, technology, and the human body. She currently lives in Seattle, where she continues to work in theater while pursuing a master’s degree in Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington.
Kellie Dunn is an artist who has experienced episodic or chronic migraines for most of her life. She graduated with a BA in Drama from the University of California, Irvine, in 2002, and has been working as a professional costume craft artisan for performing arts companies across the US ever since. Kellie specializes in performer-friendly wearable pieces made of sculptural materials, and is interested in the intersections of art, technology, and the human body. She currently lives in Seattle, where she continues to work in theater while pursuing a master’s degree in Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington.
DESCRIPTION:
A three dimensional white Styrofoam head wears a close-fitting white cap that covers the ears and has dangling ties. The cap is pierced with metallic stitching on the right temple. On the wall beside the cap is a white kidney shaped panel about three times as large as the head. The largest side of the panel has a wavy edge. On that edge are clusters of 3 dimensional origami boxes, painted with brightly colored slashes in yellow, red, blue, pink, orange, and green. Attached to the smaller side of the panel is a dangling white electrical cord, which plugs in to activate the piece.
When the temple of the cap is pressed, the origami folds move and shift.
-description by Teri Grossman
When the temple of the cap is pressed, the origami folds move and shift.
-description by Teri Grossman
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The Opulent Mobility license refers to the exhibit and its audio descriptions. Individual artworks are the property of the individual artists.