J&J Brief&Requirements

The boucle la project is a collaborative initiative, which offers a series of interactive handbags that behave as companions. The companions are amalgams of different known animals and specific behaviors and personalities; they serve as anthropomorphic representations human traits and of social interactions.

Each bag integrates technology to its design in order to embed it with a template for a personality that will be created through repeated interactions with the bag. These creature-bags retain inherent behaviors specific to their personalities while evolving into a more mature creature. These electronically enhanced handbags address notions of social interactions and interdependence, while enhancing day-to-day interactions with personal objects.

2 modes of interactions are made available to the creature-bag; user-to-bag and bag-to-bag(s). In the user-to-bag mode, the user learns how to interact and behave with its new companion in order to assure a well-behaved object and satisfying interactions. The bag moves through 4 stages throughout its life, evolving according to the amount of care and attention it received from its owner. Therefore, the bag can embrace its new-found life or resist interactivity.

The 3 bags are Cédric, Edgar and Arthur and each belongs to a specific body part. Cédric rests on the neck area and is a wary animal, striving to evolve from nervous to calm; Edgar belongs to the torso and moves from apathy to responsiveness, whereas Arthur, a headpiece, strives to become a precise hunter by moving from aggressive to controlled.



Technical requirements:

Each bag (for a total of 3) is to be presented on a live model, and is accompanied by an informative booklet and narrative video. These are stored into a little box / cupboard type installation that will either be held on the wall or on a table. The Frame and chair from the last exhibition will also be present.
*There are also 3 mannequins ready for when the live models cannot be around.

The entire project is also accompanied by a process documentation package, which will be stored inside the frame.

The atmosphere needs to be fairytale (Eastern-European) like, and so the lighting needs to be flawless.

The total space requirements are approximately a 12’ blank wall with a 4’ floor space for the installation. The live models need to be able to walk around the space of the room without many encumbrances.