With this interactive video artwork you create the visuals yourself
2 January 2025, interview
Every two months, Vertical Video presents a new video work in Amare’s public space. In January and February, the featured piece is the interactive Spatial Resonance (2024). We asked the artist, Daniël Maarleveld, five questions to find out more about the piece.
In January and February, your video artwork is on display in Amare. Could you tell us more about its meaning?
In my work, I am constantly seeking new visual input by experimenting with digital principles and logic. In doing so, I like to take an intuitive approach to digital media. By defining the boundary conditions in advance, I create room further down the line to experiment with digital media and to discover new forms and ideas.
I want to make that experience accessible. That is why I decided to create an interactive work in which it is the passerby who creates the image. These coming two months, not one image will ever be the same.
Is there a connection between Amare and your artwork?
Amare’s visitors create the artwork by walking past it and performing movements. Their movements are projected on a grand scale, so that people on the first floor can see the interactions happening on the ground floor. That creates a connection between the different floors and adds dynamism to the space within Amare.
Can you tell us more about the creation process?
In my work, I often reach solutions by testing ideas and discovering new shapes as I work. This project was no different: I tested and investigated many different avenues, but I kept coming back to the idea of actively involving visitors in the work, because I personally also enjoy playing with digital media in an interactive way. The final version went through various iterations. Eventually I created the final work in the form of a JavaScript that converts input into images.
In the end, it became clear to me that the current approach resulted in the best visual results, and that it worked well with the building. I put a lot of time into finetuning the right parameters, to make sure that the projection radiates sufficient calm and fits perfectly into the context of the Amare building. I also considered it important for the work to be able to change throughout the day.
What else do you do as an artist, and where does your inspiration come from?
As a designer, I spend a lot of time experimenting, and where possible I apply those experiments in my work as an animator. Still, I find that the best ideas often come when I am not working towards a particular application. As a result, I have noticed that I am making more and more autonomous works lately. Works that might find an application in the future, but that’s not necessary.
What do you hope that visitors will take away from your video artwork?
Since the interaction is subtle, I hope that visitors at first will simply look at the images. From there, they might go on to realise that they can directly influence what happens, and then proceed to discover exactly how they can influence the image.
Find out more about Daniël Maarleveld on his Instagram page.
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