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The Open Wall is a 80 x 30 pixels resolution 201 inch LED screen! The dimensions are 480 cm x 180. The tool is developed in the context of the SArt project at the Department of Computer and Information Science. An open art competition is now open with deadline 15th September.

One can see an image of the content displayed on the wall by opening this URL with a browser. One can change the content by playing with this program. See for details about the java interface in particular and the technical documentation in general.

Contents 1 In the media 2 Why? 3 When? 4 Who is (are) the author(s)? 5 What? 6 Where? 7 Authorship and rights

In the media

• Datakunst i Dokkhuset 16.10.08
• The Open Wall in Universitetsavisa 15 September 2008 (In Norwegian)
• The Open Wall in Adresseavisa, 13 September 2008 (In Norwegian)
• Kultur Adressa 17.02.08
• Universitetsavisa 07.02.2009

• Pictures
  • flickr January 2008,
  • flickr June 2008,
  • higher resolution pictues January 2008
  • higher resolution pictues taken by Kai June 2008 can be opened in iPhoto on mac or photoshop
  • Pictures taken by Salah during the process

• videos on youtube

Why?

The goal of this wall is to inspire reflection about Information and Communication Technology with focus on openness, copyrights, and authorship. “Unavoidably, our lives are divided between two essentially incompatible milieus; on one hand, the space less electronic worlds of contemporary technological culture and, on the other, the psysical extensive terrain on which our bodies are situated” (Jonathan Crary 2001)

It is important for me not to loose contact and control with these computer issues. And this is one of the reasons why I am interested in computer art. You can use time an energy to understand and maintain old technology and systems without being concerned about functionalities, costs, time, and availability on the global market of similar solutions. You use time on something you want to learn and you believe is important. It is somehow a step toward an increased self confidence.

When?

Once upon a time, in 2005, there was an architect student, Åsmund Gamlesæter, who wanted to build a LED facade for a house. The house was built by a group of students from Bergen, Trondheim, and Oslo. A sister LED wall was built as a result of the same project at Samfundet and it is still in place at Bodega

In 2007, as a result of Nicolas Mendoza’s Master thesis, the wall goes open source http://odc.opentheweb.org/thesis/ with BSD license. In January 2008, as a result of Experts in Team village Art and Software, 18 students build the wall in room 054.

Who is (are) the author(s)?

• Åsmund Gamlesæter was the initiator of the project.
• Espen Gangvik, artist and project manager at Trondheim Electronic Arts Centre, has always been in dialog with Åsmund and with Letizia afterwards giving good advice about estetical issues.
• Anders Christensen believes in the project. He and its team demounted the installation and stores it at IDI in late 2006. Anders gives good advice and operative help.
• Gunnar Tufte, Pauline Haddow, Olav Gulling, Magnus Andersen, Guttorm Aase, Marius Grannaes designed the cards.
• Dag Svanæs has given good advice to Åsmund and to Letizia
• Hallvard Trætteberg believes in the project from the beginning and has developed the java interface.
• Roger Midstraum represents the IDI leadership and has supported the project.
• Norvald Ryeng is the maintener of the sister project at Samfundet and a generous resource for Nicolas Mendoza (in 2007) and the students (in 2008)
• Nicolas Mendoza developed the first IDI prototype in 2007 and the author of this master thesis http://odc.opentheweb.org/thesis/
• the students of the Experts in Team Village Art and Software 2008
• Anna Trifonova and Salah Uddin Ahmed ave participated to a couple of meeting and they look at the wall as a case study for research in SArt
• Letizia Jaccheri, I am the author of this wiki, I have had the energy and responsibility for finding a wall at IDI, for supervising Nicolas, for talking to all the actors above and for pushing things to be done.

What?

• Is it a piece of art?
• Is it a tool for artist?
• Share this wall, join this project, “Steal this book” (Abbie Hoffman, 1971). The wall consists of 16 x 6 boards. Each board has 25 LED lights mounted onto the surface, emitting red light. Each light has 99 possible intensities. Each board has its own microprocessor, power connection, and ethernet connection. Connection to the main controller device has to be established through a set of switches or hubs. In short, this is a massive parallel network of boards. The total number of LED is 2400. The dimensions are 480 cm x 180.

Where?

Room 054 at Department of Computer and Information Science Sem Sælands vei 7-9 7491 Trondheim

• Important links
  • backup of all the source code taken the 13th February 2008. This must be organized.
  • wiki set up by Nicolas Mendoza
  • blog
  • student reports EiT 2008 note that yellow, orange, and green worked with the wall
  • documentation of the sister project at Samfundet

Authorship and rights

Letizia Jaccheri is the main author of this wiki. License is Creative Common Attribution No Derivatives