A (somewhat) new found appreciation for technology

John Maeda, a digital mastermind’s, exhibit within The Rifle Maker was rather small, but made up for the size with his complex displays of electronic gadgets. His use of electronics baffles my mind, such as the keyboard connected to the Ipod displaying a conversation, or the display of mini Ipods in “Free Swim” presented to show old memories being carried away for new beginnings. Never have I seen such an art form, or such a personal connection between a man with his electronics. Then again, as a painter needs his paintbrush to develop a beautiful canvas, Maeda needs electronics to create his masterpiece. It seems that to Maeda, electronics are humans. They interact and function like living bodies. They have memories, they have parts which cause them to function, or parts that cause them to malfunction. As displayed in his piece “Marriage : Staying in sync never really happens” two Ipods were connected, both with identical lengths of visual story. The display would show the same image, then all of a sudden that would malfunction and phase out naturally. As explained by Maeda, “They disagree (eventually) like a regular couple” due to the nature of their hard disks. Maeda’s relation to two electronic devices in comparison to beings is brilliant expressing just how difficult being intertwined really is. There is a give and take, and although you may be on the same wavelength in actuality there is always room for misinterpretation. Although electronics have never tickled my fancy, Maeda’s use of personal connection brought new insight as to why such valuables can mean so much to an individual. They become an extension of themselves.