Attention is All you Need
One participant, Johnny D. was told he exhibited an "unusually high degree of focus," a result he met with bemusement and wonder. Not a meditator, he describes himself as an avid cold brew drinker. His reaction being at once "special, frightened and confused."
Hiplomat, who initially had trouble implanting the headset due to what the Artist observed as "small ears," describes an enjoyable, if a bit perplexing, immersive experience. She notes that "by singing a high note" in her head, she was able to telepathically control a glowing light on the screen. After leaving the tent, Hiplomat reflected, "I felt unsure of where I ranked against the benchmark, but I was proud of myself for controlling the light by singing a high note in my head."
Low Road, a descendant of a Scottish coal miner experienced almost immediate fireworks, and was told that he "exceeded all the levels of consciousness at once." Low Road added that after the experience, he "felt witnessed a very deep level."
EB also experienced positive results, and reflected upon leaving the tent that the installment was "a fascinating intersection of visual art and the bleeding edge of neuroscience technology." -
Most participants reported seeing a star field, bright lights and star blasts. Though a handful of participants also described a series of shocks, at first imperceptible, rising to strong painful electrocutions. There was also some reported concern over whether or not the brain wave data was being sold to Big Neuroscience.
This reporter felt that the installation speaks to contemporary society's growing concerns over attention in the age of AI, and questions if we can learn to control it in a world governed by algorithm. This Art Installation also manages to capture the tension between data's growing promise of clarity and discovery with our secret inner lives, that despite advances in neuroscience have thus far remained hidden, enigmatic and unruly.
Poets speak out at Figment
A founding member of the Nuyorican movement and a longtime resident of PS109, Papoleto said the building often held special events for residents, like Friday night salsa classes. But he said this Figment, with all the music and popups, was the biggest thing to happen at PS109 in a long time.
The building was an NYC public school for over one hundred years, but was converted to residential housing in 2015. Papoleto was among the first cohort of residents to move into the building. He says the space has been very supportive for creative artists and poets, and he feels a strong sense of community in the neighborhood. "I love it. It's almost like a commune".
Papoleto's perspective can be seen and felt in his poetry, but I asked him if he wanted to say anything on the record for this story. He said that he wanted to say something about human nature. "When people want to do evil things, they conspire. They need to get together and hatch a plan, figure out what to do. But when a tragedy happens and people want to help, they just show up. There's no need to conspire." He took a pull on his wine bottle, and cackled a healthy laugh. "I think this tells you something about human nature."
Pipe cleaner art and letter to future self
Had fun connecting with old friends and meeting new ones today shout out to David K and Anna the Russian spy and Eli. Great chatting with today. And others who were warm and kind throughout my day..love love loved the tarot exhibit as well.
Thank you for your time and insightful project.
Thank you to the artist who created the pipe cleaner station. You are amazing!
GLOBAL WARMING COMING FOR YOU
Solar-Powered Merry-Go-Round is the first thing visitors encounter as they enter the PS 199 Barrio Art Space—and it is much more than an art piece. According to its producer, El Gori, the handmade carousel had already attracted more than 60 curious minds by 4 p.m., many of whom returned for a second look. Visitors seemed drawn not only to its playful, innocent appearance, but also to the deeper questions it invites.Entirely powered by solar energy, the merry-go-round can carry up to two children or adults, with a combined weight of 250 pounds. For some visitors, the work quickly became a metaphor for the planet itself—also powered by the sun and caught in its own cycles.One visitor, after taking a ride, reflected, “I feel like I am going through the same cycle without getting anywhere.” Another saw the animals mounted on the carousel as a reminder of climate change, noting that they evoked the threat of global warming—a force that, like the carousel itself, ultimately comes for all of us.What initially appears to be a whimsical, handmade ride thus becomes something more contemplative: a playful machine that invites visitors to think about cycles, the planet, and our uncertain environmental future.
Keeping your balls in the air
Slightly patriotic performances
Major infrastructure found missing
An entourage of volunteers came to the rescue and helped erect the clock board, even pulling off some major acrobatic moves to piece together the critical set piece. One volunteer, Alex, who described himself as a jack of all trades, handily drilled the plywood from an upside-down angle. When asked for comment about these incredible skills, Alex was unable to answer and could not stop giggling profusely.Even though the new clock board is missing its precious periwinkle patina, Wonderfuse News is now open! Stay tuned for our all-day live coverage of Figment NYC!
Like a record, baby
We are more than our jobs
DEVELOPING: Early Saturday afternoon, among scores of volunteers and artists at Figment, this reporter stumbled on a wildly curious stationery and Lego-based installation. At the bottom of piles of index cards and pipe cleaners, artists Lakshmi and Lee placed questions that require participants to probe the essence of their identity. For example, participants are enabled to write a letter to their 2027 self, such as, hypothetically, "Don't forget to do your taxes" or "I hope everything is better now that you've achieved transcendence. Please get a dog and name it Greta." In another pile of Post-its, participants are encouraged to describe themselves without using their name, job, age, gender, or ethnicity. When asked for comment about the piece, Lakshmi, seen in the photo above, noted the piece's mission was to show participants that "it is not about what they do, it is about who they are." This Editor-in-Bead wondered who they were. How can I explain who I am without talking about my very important job delivering live coverage of the event? After much contemplation, I realized I am so much more than an award-winning former pharmacist, banker, two-time rock opera composer, and intrepid Wonderfuse News anchor. I am also a champion method dresser and radical gifting artist, and my job is not the most important thing about me. My pretend job is. The epiphany hit me like a commercial-free broadcast of a first-hand, hyper-local breaking story. Stay tuned for updates on my exploration of my identity outside of my occupation. It just might boggle my mind.
