Community art as DIY social science | Jeff McAulay | TEDxOnBoard

sometimes it’s easy to feel like a small

sometimes it’s easy to feel like a small fish in a big ocean but we know amazing

fish in a big ocean but we know amazing

fish in a big ocean but we know amazing things can happen when you team up and I

things can happen when you team up and I

things can happen when you team up and I believe there’s actually no more

believe there’s actually no more

believe there’s actually no more powerful force in the world than a group

powerful force in the world than a group

powerful force in the world than a group of aligned individuals but I wonder do

of aligned individuals but I wonder do

of aligned individuals but I wonder do we give up some of that individuality as

we give up some of that individuality as

we give up some of that individuality as part of a group and if we’re truly an

part of a group and if we’re truly an

part of a group and if we’re truly an individual do we lack influence or

individual do we lack influence or

individual do we lack influence or impact so this tension between

impact so this tension between

impact so this tension between conformity and individuality is one that

conformity and individuality is one that

conformity and individuality is one that I wonder a lot about now I’m an

I wonder a lot about now I’m an

I wonder a lot about now I’m an entrepreneur and an engineer by training

entrepreneur and an engineer by training

entrepreneur and an engineer by training but on the weekends I get to be a

but on the weekends I get to be a

but on the weekends I get to be a philosopher and maybe accidentally an

philosopher and maybe accidentally an

philosopher and maybe accidentally an artist so I set out to do an experiment

artist so I set out to do an experiment

artist so I set out to do an experiment how can we visualize this tension

how can we visualize this tension

how can we visualize this tension between individuality and conformity and

between individuality and conformity and

between individuality and conformity and so I found myself handing out stickers

so I found myself handing out stickers

so I found myself handing out stickers in Harvard Square one sticker per person

in Harvard Square one sticker per person

in Harvard Square one sticker per person to see what would happen would they

to see what would happen would they

to see what would happen would they group together would they separate out

group together would they separate out

group together would they separate out where we see patterns and this is how I

where we see patterns and this is how I

where we see patterns and this is how I discovered the world of participatory

discovered the world of participatory

discovered the world of participatory art and this is a medium where actually

art and this is a medium where actually

art and this is a medium where actually the artist gives up control of the work

the artist gives up control of the work

the artist gives up control of the work to the audience to see if something

to the audience to see if something

to the audience to see if something beautiful can emerge now emergence is

beautiful can emerge now emergence is

beautiful can emerge now emergence is actually a phenomenon that we see in

actually a phenomenon that we see in

actually a phenomenon that we see in nature it’s the way we describe how

nature it’s the way we describe how

nature it’s the way we describe how snowflakes form from a single nucleation

snowflakes form from a single nucleation

snowflakes form from a single nucleation point to a complex crystal it’s how we

point to a complex crystal it’s how we

point to a complex crystal it’s how we describe how termites can build amazing

describe how termites can build amazing

describe how termites can build amazing structures out of individual grains of

structures out of individual grains of

structures out of individual grains of sand now humans build interesting

sand now humans build interesting

sand now humans build interesting structures – occasionally

structures – occasionally

structures – occasionally out of unusual units this lock for

out of unusual units this lock for

out of unusual units this lock for example – some actually was a symbol of

example – some actually was a symbol of

example – some actually was a symbol of security and for couples it was a symbol

security and for couples it was a symbol

security and for couples it was a symbol of their relationship

of their relationship

of their relationship and actually in a bridge in Paris you

and actually in a bridge in Paris you

and actually in a bridge in Paris you can see what happened when this sort of

can see what happened when this sort of

can see what happened when this sort of contagious phenomenon caught on over a

contagious phenomenon caught on over a

contagious phenomenon caught on over a number of years there were so many locks

number of years there were so many locks

number of years there were so many locks that the Paris city had to take down 45

that the Paris city had to take down 45

that the Paris city had to take down 45 tons because it was threatening this

tons because it was threatening this

tons because it was threatening this ability of this bridge now in Seattle at

ability of this bridge now in Seattle at

ability of this bridge now in Seattle at slightly less romantic city

slightly less romantic city

slightly less romantic city I think only single people took chewed

I think only single people took chewed

I think only single people took chewed up pieces of gum and added them to a

up pieces of gum and added them to a

up pieces of gum and added them to a particular wall now I know what you’re

particular wall now I know what you’re

particular wall now I know what you’re saying right now Jeff we don’t think

saying right now Jeff we don’t think

saying right now Jeff we don’t think this is exactly art and the seattle city

this is exactly art and the seattle city

this is exactly art and the seattle city didn’t think so either they power wash

didn’t think so either they power wash

didn’t think so either they power wash this wall clean but it shows what can

this wall clean but it shows what can

this wall clean but it shows what can happen with tiny may be unusual

happen with tiny may be unusual

happen with tiny may be unusual individual actions how they can add up

individual actions how they can add up

individual actions how they can add up and in fact there are many artists that

and in fact there are many artists that

and in fact there are many artists that are taking this same type of phenomena

are taking this same type of phenomena

are taking this same type of phenomena and trying to see how what can emerge

and trying to see how what can emerge

and trying to see how what can emerge through different mediums so this has

through different mediums so this has

through different mediums so this has been tried in a number of different

been tried in a number of different

been tried in a number of different examples by giving individual sculptors

examples by giving individual sculptors

examples by giving individual sculptors pieces of clay and maybe what results

pieces of clay and maybe what results

pieces of clay and maybe what results here is a little bit more on the

here is a little bit more on the

here is a little bit more on the individual side others have tried free

individual side others have tried free

individual side others have tried free sketch where they have an open canvas

sketch where they have an open canvas

sketch where they have an open canvas and anybody can draw whatever they

and anybody can draw whatever they

and anybody can draw whatever they please and in this case maybe it’s hard

please and in this case maybe it’s hard

please and in this case maybe it’s hard to pull out one contribution from

to pull out one contribution from

to pull out one contribution from another there have been other examples

another there have been other examples

another there have been other examples online where individual visitors to a

online where individual visitors to a

online where individual visitors to a site can place one pixel at a time and

site can place one pixel at a time and

site can place one pixel at a time and even overwrite other pixels to see what

even overwrite other pixels to see what

even overwrite other pixels to see what can emerge and in another example again

can emerge and in another example again

can emerge and in another example again online at swarm sketch each individual

online at swarm sketch each individual

online at swarm sketch each individual visitor can draw one line and subsequent

visitor can draw one line and subsequent

visitor can draw one line and subsequent visitors can even vote on whether or not

visitors can even vote on whether or not

visitors can even vote on whether or not that line is included to try to draw a

that line is included to try to draw a

that line is included to try to draw a picture based on a single query

picture based on a single query

picture based on a single query interesting examples so let’s look again

interesting examples so let’s look again

interesting examples so let’s look again and see what happened with the dots in

and see what happened with the dots in

and see what happened with the dots in Harvard Square this is how it started

Harvard Square this is how it started

Harvard Square this is how it started and this is where we ended up now if you

and this is where we ended up now if you

and this is where we ended up now if you see something here it’s probably in the

see something here it’s probably in the

see something here it’s probably in the eye of the beholder

eye of the beholder

eye of the beholder a because this is actually very close to

a because this is actually very close to

a because this is actually very close to what mathematicians call random and I

what mathematicians call random and I

what mathematicians call random and I checked actually this is a computer

checked actually this is a computer

checked actually this is a computer simulation to model perfect random

simulation to model perfect random

simulation to model perfect random behavior maybe not exactly but the

behavior maybe not exactly but the

behavior maybe not exactly but the mathematicians in the audience can tweet

mathematicians in the audience can tweet

mathematicians in the audience can tweet me later

me later

me later hashtag well actually and we can get it

hashtag well actually and we can get it

hashtag well actually and we can get it to a discussion but this was actually

to a discussion but this was actually

to a discussion but this was actually repeated on a much grander scale with

repeated on a much grander scale with

repeated on a much grander scale with kazama’s obliteration room where she

kazama’s obliteration room where she

kazama’s obliteration room where she actually handed out 30 stickers to

actually handed out 30 stickers to

actually handed out 30 stickers to hundreds of children and you can guess

hundreds of children and you can guess

hundreds of children and you can guess what happened here

what happened here

what happened here each individual did have the ability to

each individual did have the ability to

each individual did have the ability to contribute some structure but in the end

contribute some structure but in the end

contribute some structure but in the end it’s pretty clear that chaos dominated

it’s pretty clear that chaos dominated

it’s pretty clear that chaos dominated but I wasn’t done looking for structure

but I wasn’t done looking for structure

but I wasn’t done looking for structure so I went back and started from a

so I went back and started from a

so I went back and started from a different different unit what would

different different unit what would

different different unit what would happen if instead of a blank canvas we

happen if instead of a blank canvas we

happen if instead of a blank canvas we started with just one seed structure

what ended up happening is that we see

what ended up happening is that we see individual extensions not the original

individual extensions not the original

individual extensions not the original structure not grouped by color and I

structure not grouped by color and I

structure not grouped by color and I think at the end here we look closely

think at the end here we look closely

think at the end here we look closely maybe this is our snowflake what I

maybe this is our snowflake what I

maybe this is our snowflake what I wanted to see what would happen could we

wanted to see what would happen could we

wanted to see what would happen could we build a physical structure with maybe a

build a physical structure with maybe a

build a physical structure with maybe a subunit that is inherently structured

subunit that is inherently structured

subunit that is inherently structured these little plastic bricks maybe you

these little plastic bricks maybe you

these little plastic bricks maybe you grew up playing with them so I went back

grew up playing with them so I went back

grew up playing with them so I went back to Harvard Square same experiment one

to Harvard Square same experiment one

to Harvard Square same experiment one Lego per person one brick at a time and

Lego per person one brick at a time and

Lego per person one brick at a time and I was surprised by the result what ended

I was surprised by the result what ended

I was surprised by the result what ended up happening is it was irresistible to

up happening is it was irresistible to

up happening is it was irresistible to add to the fringe and what ended up

add to the fringe and what ended up

add to the fringe and what ended up happening is that there are these little

happening is that there are these little

happening is that there are these little dendritic extensions offshoots where

dendritic extensions offshoots where

dendritic extensions offshoots where they grew and then collapsed and grew

they grew and then collapsed and grew

they grew and then collapsed and grew and collapsed and it didn’t actually

and collapsed and it didn’t actually

and collapsed and it didn’t actually accumulate so how are we to put the

accumulate so how are we to put the

accumulate so how are we to put the pieces together at the end some of you

pieces together at the end some of you

pieces together at the end some of you might say Jeff it’s very clear you need

might say Jeff it’s very clear you need

might say Jeff it’s very clear you need to let go and stop trying to control

to let go and stop trying to control

to let go and stop trying to control everything and embrace the chaos

everything and embrace the chaos

everything and embrace the chaos and you might have a point but I think

and you might have a point but I think

and you might have a point but I think there are some lessons we can learn here

there are some lessons we can learn here

there are some lessons we can learn here about how we think about collaborating

about how we think about collaborating

about how we think about collaborating with others first if you want to draw

with others first if you want to draw

with others first if you want to draw creativity out of a large group start

creativity out of a large group start

creativity out of a large group start with just a little bit of structure and

with just a little bit of structure and

with just a little bit of structure and it can go a long way second if you want

it can go a long way second if you want

it can go a long way second if you want to build a stable structure through many

to build a stable structure through many

to build a stable structure through many actors maybe the key here is actually

actors maybe the key here is actually

actors maybe the key here is actually just being incremental in a way that

just being incremental in a way that

just being incremental in a way that others can imitate now we all have our

others can imitate now we all have our

others can imitate now we all have our piece to place in life

piece to place in life

piece to place in life so maybe with these things in mind we

so maybe with these things in mind we

so maybe with these things in mind we can build something beautiful and see

can build something beautiful and see

can build something beautiful and see what will emerge thank you for your

what will emerge thank you for your

what will emerge thank you for your attention