Gasbook 3
& 6
~
Gasbook came in to us from right out of the blue, as
two old CDs (#3-dated 1997 and #6-dated 1999)
with almost all information data aboard them in Japanese, both
contained in blank cases with almost blank CD-faces. A brief
attempted follow-up by us on the internet yielded very little,
including old stuff from about the same period as the CDs, and
e-mails (in English) sent to the few links
found in these sites went unanswered.
But everything on the CDs ran just fine, making clear soon
enough that these were CD-gazettes of electronic art, not very
much unlike ZKM's "ArtIntact" (see
contents), or even The IDEA (at least
conceptually from some perspectives).
Basically, each of the Gasbook CDs is formatted as
an audio & data CD, with the data-segment offering
navigation through an interactive magazine/gazette of about a
half dozen interactive electronic artworks ('typically'
of the sort created in software like Macromedia Director).
Unlike the basic CD information files in Japanese (e.g.
"Read Me" or "User Support"), the
actual creative works are largely in English or language-neutral.
So, here's a collection of screen-shots and brief descriptions
for you (all off an iMac). Keep in mind
that all of these materials, including the few animated GIFs
we've created here and there for a better feel of some works,
are based upon cursory exploration, and only *representative*.
 Gasbook 3
~
 
Gasbook 3 opens to the object above-left twirling into
existence in the centre of a black screen with touches of sparkle
and dazzle. Clicking this object leads through to rapidly coalescing
& disintegrating credits like that above-right.
After that comes the actual contents page of Gasbook 3 (above)
with the names of individual artworks rotating in a virtual-3D
ring that's mouse-controllable. A hovering mouse yields clues
like the image in the upper left-hand corner, while clicking
leads through to the work itself.
 |
This seems to be a simple dress 'em up piece
challenged by continuous horizontal scrolling. (*Representative GIF) |
 |
A hilarious piece of work with great background
music. Originally interactive by clicking any of the four pointers
to navigate through a collection of different individuals, or
by clicking an individual image to switch to its alternative.
(*Representative GIF) |
 |
Seems to be a font collection,.. in Japanese |
 |
A series of flowing grids froming all sorts of
simple flowing patterns |
 |
A brief language lesson played out variously
to make the point that spoken English is back-to-front in relation
to Japanese, and/or vice versa.
(*Representative GIF) |
 |
Not sure what this is about, but basically a
window one can drag across images set 'virtually' behind a black
screen, with animated links to Print, change image, or Exit set
here and there. (*Representative
GIF) |
 |
A fun collection of slightly animated images set 'virtually'
one behind the other in a grid. Clicking an element of the grid
brings forward a corresponding element of the image below, independent
of what one might do to/with other elements of the grid/image.
Set to music that perfectly complements the work by drawing
users into clicking in time with it.
(*Representative GIF)
|
 |
A choice of various views/versions of the same
rap dancer, any of which can be chosen to dance with the music. |
 |
Not reallly sure what this was about, but it
seems to be partly on the disc and partly on the internet. (*Representative GIF) |
 |
An astronomy / astrology / stargazer / calender
sort of thingamajig. (*Representative
GIF) |
 |
Seems essentially to be just two collections
of images |
|
something 'extra' aboard Gasbook 3 |
 |
~
Gasbook 6
~
Gasbook 6 opens as a folder-window (above), in which double-clicking
anywhere in the image-grid at left just opens up the particular
image-segement in Photoshop. B u t clicking the names of individual
works in the central column leads stright into each.
 |
This work noisly and repeatedly asks the user to insert an
audio CD.
We didn't.
|
 |
Basically, clicking inside or alongside individual
segements of the form presented in the center of the screen changes
the component (round, half-round, square, etc.) or makes it appear
/ disappear. Parameter-controls at the bottom of the screen seem
to require a wee bit of patience to be explored / understood.
(*Representative GIF) |
 |
Seems to be some kind of DJ device. (*Representative GIF) |
 |
Grab the white jelly blob and drag it around the black screen
before tossing or just dropping it,.. with appropriate stretching,
dragging, wibbling, wobbling and sound-effects all the way.
Simple, good, clean fun,.. for about a half-minute
|
 |
Couldn't figure this one out, or it just wasn't working right.
The vertical bar with the little white square near the top
of it just buzzed around back and forth, horizontally on the
screen, with a nasty noise the while.
|
 |
A sort of "movie". (*Representative GIF) |
~
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