The 'MailboX'
Project Summary
MailboX is built to inspire individuals to be more positively connected by verbal and written conversation as social media has made us into antisocial beings due to the abundance of communication platforms. Receiving a letter from a good friend used to be common practice but sadly we are forgetting the importance of written correspondence.
MailboX is a three meter tall, larger than life installation that uses the traditional shape of a postbox to recreate messages as through a entertaining interactive experience. It utilises a custom built LED RGB display with 1211 Dot Pixels. This facade was then finished with polypropylene and custom laser cut acrylic. The digital system and video processing is controlled via a computer within the instillation which connects to an online server which hosts social media data processing and analysis. To create the interactive user experience we have chosen to use Emojis, as they are a modern rebirth of Hieroglyphics – an early form of written communication - and create a contrast between the traditional post box and letter shape that allow the viewer to question the importance of communication and how we are slowly losing this sentiment.
MailboX begins its journey in the present, with the modern day form of a letter (Digital Messaging). A participant can send a Tweet to the MailboX of their experiences while at the Sydney Vivid festival using the hashtag ‘#MailboX’ or #ilightmarinabay for 'I Light Marina bay in Singapore. This message will then be displayed on the MailboX engaging the sender with the audience around the installation. Once the message is sent to the Mailbox it will count how many ‘letters’ are posted though duration of Vivid and visualise the experiences the message sent by participant.
The second interaction engages the audience through capturing increase in sound around the Mailbox which responds to the excitement and volume generated by the audience, visualising the 'amount of conversation' created on the facade of the MailboX. This interaction's was to promote more communication in an ever increase anti-social 'Social Media' driven society.
To see the 'MailboX' in action, head to this link: https://youtu.be/wFVWnVwWQIE
For addition information please visit: https://www.vividsydney.com/event/light/mailbox