A Free Mouse
一个自由的鼠标︎June, 2022
A Free Mouse is a multimedia installation that creates a digital space in which the computer mouse is liberated from its traditional function and moves freely on the desktop, simultaneously controlling it to navigate in a virtual lawn. The piece originates from a question: can the computer mouse become a living being, moving randomly and freely on the screen? Through this disobedient mouse, the artwork invites us to rethink our relationship with technology and control.
By offering the mouse an opportunity to exist beyond our human-centred system, it challenges conventional views on technology and control, and thus, breaking away from our reliance on technology as a tool of control. I hope to present a new possibility, where the mouse is free to explore and dream, in contrast to the restrictive systems we impose upon it. The free mouse becomes a symbol of liberation, a playful yet thought-provoking reflection on the relationship between technology and freedom.
The free mouse will run through the classic and unrealistically beautiful grass of WindowsXP. This intriguing juxtaposition also becomes a powerful symbol of liberation and freedom, highlighting the contrast between the sterile, controlled environment of technology and the organic, natural world. The use of dark humor in the artwork highlights the absurdity of our current systems of control and power, serving as a reminder of the need for alternative perspectives and critical reflection.
The piece is part of the research project of the School of Communication RCA, supported by EPIC Games and was featured in ‘Roadside Picnic’ in Cromwell Place, London UK. The group exhibition was a showcase of the innovative and thought-provoking work of emerging artists, exploring the boundaries of art and technology.
The work has been exhibited in March, 2023 as part of group exhbition ‘The Fading Spaciousness’ in Bargehouse OXO Tower Wharf, London.
一个自由的鼠标 是一个融合数字与实体的多媒体动态装置。一个改装后的电脑鼠标，摆脱了传统功能的限制，而能在桌面上自由移动，并同时控制其在电脑界面上的虚拟草坪中漫游。作品的灵感源自一个简单的问题：如果电脑鼠标拥有了生命，它会在虚拟空间中自由穿梭吗？
这个装置旨在引发观众对技术和控制关系的思考。鼠标在这里是一个隐喻，一个对于‘控制’的象征。通过赋予鼠标一种超越人类中心化系统的存在方式，它挑战了传统的技术和控制观念，打破了技术工具的被动属性。自由鼠标成为一种解放的象征，以引人深思的方式强调了技术与自由之间的对比。
虚拟空间中，鼠标在符号化的WindowsXP草地上进行，这种并置也成为了一个有力的象征，突显了技术的冷漠和受控环境与有机的自然世界之间的对比。作品运用黑色幽默巧妙地批判了当前控制系统的荒谬性。
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Produced by: Ke Peng
Technical Support: Kam Raoofi, Halim Lais
Photographer: Deniz Guzel
Project Leader: Luke Pendrell, Cecelia Johnson
Supported by Epic Games MegaGrant Programme
The Fading Spaciousness Exhibition, Curated by Ding Ling, Pearl Yin, Sen Kwok, Yuan Yihang
In support of Royal College of Art CSSA
Exhibition in ‘Roadside Picnic’ at Cormwell Place(UK)
Corded Mouse, Arduino, Micro Gearmotor, wheels, made with Unreal Engine
Poster design for the exhibition
Process
Exhibited in ‘The Fading Spaciousness’ at Bargehouse OXO Tower Wharf(UK)
