Developing Creative Audience Interaction: Four Projects by Squidsoup

This paper discusses the processes of creative development in four projects by Squidsoup: Altzero (1999-2003), Come Closer (2004-5), Freq2 (2006) and Driftnet (2006-7).  Each piece presents users with a structured audiovisual composition that can be manipulated, probed and explored in different ways.  Together they illustrate a search for novel, intuitive and subtle forms of interaction where the processes of interaction are creative, rewarding and (as far as possible) understood by those taking part.  This is an investigation not only into direct user interaction, but also into the participant’s interpretation of their experience; what it makes them feel and think, and what meanings they ascribe to their experience and the work.