Next to being a speaker at MoMoAms #19, according to himself, Sander Veenhof (sndrv.nl, @sander) is a new media artist. To learn more about who he is we asked him 5 questions:
1) Who/what is your source of inspiration regarding the things you do?
My source of inspiration is the void of what’s not there yet. I try to explore new applications, new dimensions or new user dynamics. Augmented reality currently offers me a great context for innovation. But last year I’ve been also been developing multi-touch interfaces for plants. I get energy by seeing other people invent simple things that have a surprisingly powerful or even paradigm shifting effect.
2) What is the biggest mistake you’ve made?
Bringing a highly complex interactive installation (for mobile phones) to the World Expo in Shanghai one month before the opening. Not being on site anymore to solve an issue with the START button which got stuck while the machine was being installed at the expo space. Instead of fixing it, the organization fully disasembled the machine, sending me photos of the parts with the question: “How to fix it and how to reassemble it?”.
3) What do you consider your biggest achievement?
Last year I had my first exhibition in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, occupying all 6 floors and I even added a 7th floor on top of the building. Even though I wasn’t invited to do so and the artworks were put there virtually in guerrilla style through Layar augmented reality, it still was a great experience to be exhibiting in such an iconic art institute, considering I just graduated from the Rietveld Art Academy one year earlier.
4) What do you believe to be the biggest hype at this moment? Why?
The current hype is definitely Facebook, but not a hype in the sense that it risks to become overhyped and go away. The change they are causing in the way the world is using the internet is subtle but very fundamental. The social graph being built up by them might finally bring the long awaited semantic web3.0 closer and closer. Still, it’s a bit weird to have a commercial company be leading this people powered massive new universe, which is the new web.
5) What do you expect from the event?
I’m looking forward to be hearing about new and remarkable advancements in mobile phone technology and appliances. My contribution to the evening will hopefully be to show that in contrast to advanced technological solutions, something utterly low-tech can in creative ways be applied in useful sophisticated ways too.
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