Body as Interface

The workshop Body as Interface – Motion-Tracking, led by Marcello Lussana, Anastasia Putsykina, and Fang Tsai, offered participants an immersive exploration of the body as a real-time controller for digital media. Designed for students from diverse disciplines—including fine arts, performing arts, set design, media, and play and object studies—the workshop combined technical instruction with performative experimentation, encouraging participants to investigate the expressive potential of motion-capture technology.

Focusing on the Azure Kinect motion-capture system and the node-based programming environment TouchDesigner, the workshop explored how gestures and bodily movement could generate interactive audiovisual experiences. Participants learned to capture skeletal motion data, translate it into dynamic signals, and manipulate these signals to control sound, visuals, and other digital outputs. Through this process, the body itself became a creative interface, revealing how movement can shape artistic expression in digital contexts.

Structured over three days, the workshop balanced theoretical introductions, curated examples of motion-capture-based artistic projects, and hands-on experimentation. Participants first engaged with foundational concepts in motion-tracking and interactive media, followed by step-by-step tutorials and guided exercises in TouchDesigner. They then developed their own experimental patches and applied motion data to create interactive installations, performances, or visual experiments.

The final stage of the workshop emphasized collaborative project work. Students formed groups based on shared interests and worked under tutor guidance to implement their ideas, troubleshoot technical challenges, and refine their interactive systems.

The workshop concluded with presentations and reflective discussions, where participants shared insights, demonstrated their prototypes, and articulated the creative and technical strategies behind their projects.Throughout, the workshop promoted a balance of technical learning and artistic exploration.

By situating motion-capture within a performative and experimental framework, participants discovered new ways of thinking about the body as both a tool and medium for digital creativity, expanding the boundaries of movement, gesture, and interaction in contemporary art practice.