cone/control/street
DESCRIPTION
Collating research/exploration of the traffic cone.TRANSCRIPT
CONE / CONTROL / STREET Social Space: How do people interact with it?
F Icon of control, emblem of authority
F Subliminal emblem/icon – it is rarely considered an object in its own right.
F Therefore, the three ways people socially interact with a cone, are:
• Obey: Follow the directions laid out by the cone.
• Disobey: Knock it over. • Ignore: Don’t acknowledge the presence of the cone but subconsciously obey its authority.
Physical Space: Where do you find it? How does it fit into its space?
F Space validates its worth; space gives it a USE/PURPOSE.
F It molds/delineates/dictates its physical surroundings
F It and its space are symbiotic: they rely on and feed each other.
Cognitive Space: ‘Thinking spaces; Cognitive effects of its physical presence. F Its shape; conical; A sharp shape, pointed, suggestive of potential danger?
F Its colour; bright, (usually orange), highly visible. Captures vision but is still something that remains in our subconscious.
F Its obtrusive by nature- causes a cognitive disturbance/unease. Creates divisions.
F (Anxiety-inducing) Has immediate connotations of danger
Film: CONE/CONTROL/STREET
(Supporting notes)
Accessible at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CWvXyLAvU8&list=UURLXeBl5R42TA3DPANHxS6Q * Please view in 1080p HD
In this film, we undertake various field experiments that question the spatial, cognitive, social, emotional, behavioural and practical responses to traffic cones. Prior to our live experimentation in the field, we painted ice cream cones in an effort to imitate the standard traffic cone. We suggest you watch the video once before reading these supporting notes. EXPERIMENT 1: Pedestrian Traffic
• Cones are laid out across a footpath. • People generally avoid/obey the cones by the method they
deem most appropriate. • People consciously consider their reaction to the cones. • They are recognised as an icon of authority and therefore
are obeyed/considered. EXPERIMENT 2: Remove Colour
• This experiment acts as a kind of ‘control’ for Experiment 1.
• People ignore the cones, as they are no longer painted as a recognisable icon of warning.
• People do not see the cones, as they are no longer a highly-visible colour.
EXPERIMENT 3: Road Traffic
• Cones are arranged on the road in a nondescript pattern, so as to make the intended instruction/communication less apparent.
• Cones are completely obeyed. Perhaps the physical distance between the driver’s eye level and the cones made it difficult for the driver to distinguish the ice cream cones from legitimate traffic cones.
(CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO)
• Car traffic is accustomed to obeying traffic cones: it is a firmly established behavioural trait.
• Directing car traffic warranted a reaction from nearby security: perhaps there is a greater gravity in directing vehicles than there is concerning pedestrians?
EXPERIMENT 4: Change Path • Aim: to change the path taken by pedestrians when there is
more than one viable option. • How does adding an authoritative figure (man in high-vis
jacket) affect people’s reactions to the scene? • By placing a fallen cone within the scene, what physical
metaphors do we create concerning authority? EXPERIMENT 5: Barricade • We limit the number of gates/turnstiles people can use. • People assume the gate is broken. • People want to use a turnstile quickly: the barricade
becomes a nuisance. • We were out of sight: how does this affect how people
react to the configuration of cones? When they are not being watched?
• Once the first person ignores/disobeys, others follow. • When the cones are knocked over, they possess less
authority. • People can discuss the purpose of the cones with each
other in this particular environment: perhaps this encourages them to experiment with disobedience?
Future of the cone:
• A company named V3 has announced they have built and tested cone solar technolo-gy. • These perpetually spinning cones will be dotted across the entire city.
• The cone, in its shape, is simple, cheap to produce and energy efficient.
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 11:55:13 +0000 To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Art Forms Name: Tesni Email: [email protected] Comment: Hiya I'm a design student and my brief I've been given is about traffic cones. I love the work you've done on cones and it'd be great if you
could explain why you did this, the thoughts and ideas behind them (i.e: why the traffic cone? Why drawing people on them in a Grecian Urn style?) and how you made them please? It would greatly help develop my own project and would be much appreciated! Time: November 21, 2014 at 11:55 am IP Address: 158.223.177.187 Contact Form URL: http://ynomiko.com/contact-me/ Sent by an unverified visitor to your site. From: "Yiannis Nomikos" <[email protected]> To: "Tesni" <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Art Forms Hi Tesni The story is like this..... When i was very young i got to work for a small factory, painting on vases copy's of ancient Greek themes. That way i learned how to draw with a very fine lines using a very thin brush. On this vases there was paintings of there Gods,Heroes and of people, how they lived there every day
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 11:55:13 +0000 To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Art Forms Name: Tesni Email: [email protected] Comment: Hiya I'm a design student and my brief I've been given is about traffic cones. I love the work you've done on cones and it'd be great if you
could explain why you did this, the thoughts and ideas behind them (i.e: why the traffic cone? Why drawing people on them in a Grecian Urn style?) and how you made them please? It would greatly help develop my own project and would be much appreciated! Time: November 21, 2014 at 11:55 am IP Address: 158.223.177.187 Contact Form URL: http://ynomiko.com/contact-me/ Sent by an unverified visitor to your site. From: "Yiannis Nomikos" <[email protected]> To: "Tesni" <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Art Forms Hi Tesni The story is like this..... When i was very young i got to work for a small factory, painting on vases copy's of ancient Greek themes. That way i learned how to draw with a very fine lines using a very thin brush. On this vases there was paintings of there Gods,Heroes and of people, how they lived there every day
life. Later when i my life i became a student of school the Art Student Langue of New York. I stared to draw people on the subway, buses, or standing in the platform train stations. For example when i was living in New York city, Pennsylvania station was one of the places that i will get the people waiting for there train. On the trains I was getting people reading there's news papers, sleeping, standing,siting. I started to paint this drawings on Plastic bottles from detergents, I used them like the Greek vases. In the ancient time this works was like taking a picture of the people and immortalize them. Giving also to Us he opportunity to see them. Well today we do not need this way, like the ancient time, to see people's life. But i like the idea to do the same thing today. One day i got from the street a traffic cone. The red color and the round shape i thought it was the perfect candidate to do my painting. With the use of a potter's wheel, I placed the traffic cone on the wheel , centered the cone on the wheel and i am turning it. First I am making the lines on the cone like the lines on the Greek vases, then between the lines i am placing the figures. Drawing first the subject and filling the background with black enamel paint. The idea is to continue the tradition that has stopped 2 thousand years ago. Some how, i get a great deal of pleasure doing that. I hope that i am giving you a help for your work. Let me know how it will turn. This is the very first one that i did that day in New York. it was April 20 of 2000. !
(Design a tool for others to design with)
A cone is an object that is placed in a space to communicate a message.
TASK: Design several different cones and/or arrangements of cones to communicate several different messages. The aim is to change people’s perception of them. Therefore, create a cone (/arrangement of) that: 1. Changes people’s direction 2. Changes their speed 3. Makes them laugh 4. Makes them stop and reflect 5. Is a piece of art
Explore the use of different: • Materials • Shapes • Colours • Symbols
Dependent on time and other restraints, you may consider:
§ Repurposing an existing cone § Creating your own § Producing a prototype/hypothesis
