With our newest Recess installation, we took an opportunity to interact with members of our community and bring you their stories.
Our goal with Recess is to make taking a break more accessible and acceptable. With the constant pressure to “keep busy,” it’s important to take a step back, take a break and experiment with learning. By promoting social interaction and working to provide a variety of ways to engage, we aim to bring increased awareness to the value of creativity.
The Sandbox team was presented with an opportunity to use wall space inside “The Hustle”, a space dedicated to artist installations that rotate on a quarterly basis, located in Toronto’s Lululemon Queen Street West location. Having used the space to host our first panel event, “The Hustle” venue at Lululemon aligns well with our vision for Recess. It is a space where people can sit, relax, and interact with others freely. It also serves as a venue for events that fit the brand’s core values.
After successfully learning how to utilize Arduino micro-controllers to create an immersive audio experience at JAYU’s iAM gallery this past summer, we decided to streamline the concept and design for our installation at Lululemon. Arduino’s are an easy way to use technology to connect with an audience and they can be used for a variety of projects.
After discussing the concept we finalized a mockup and got the go-ahead from the store. We then collaborated with creative technologist Erica Tiberia on programming seven custom audio boxes. Each audio board utilizes Arduino’s for audio playback and is encased in an acrylic structure that was laser cut at Toronto’s Steam Labs.
The audio boxes each contain a voice from the community speaking on topics including taking breaks, experimenting with learning and social interactions. Personal stories are also shared in the audio stories that feature participants opening up about their own anxieties, a topic that is rarely addressed in our daily routines.
Accompanying each of the seven audio boxes is a portrait taken during the recording process by photographer and Sandbox member, Celeste Cole. Lending their faces and/or voices to the installation are:
- Adeyemi Adegbesan
- Dhani Oaks
- Moe Bsat
- Sarah Moncrieff
- Emily Tamfo
- Tara Good
- Shanik Tanna and Celeste Cole (Sandbox)
Audio was an important medium to incorporate for Recess because it allows one to focus on the voice being heard and take a break from our screen-saturated world. By isolating sound, we were also able to experiment with sound design such as the soundtracking behind each voice in addition to doing our own voice recordings.
It was important for the team to remain faithful to our DIY-trademark in the creation of this installation. For us, creating these interactive pieces is our own form of recess. Combining topics that pique our interests including technology, audio, and photography allowed us to further develop our skill-set and nurture our creativity. From the audio boxes and portraits to the main Recess signage that lights up, everything featured in our latest installation was custom made by members of Sandbox.
We did face some challenges in the process, of course. For one, our original mock-up did not line up with the placement of the final installation. We were met with some obstacles on the wall that we had not accounted for such as a thermostat in the exact centre and an exposed pipe that worked against our goal of creating symmetry. Despite these variables, we improvised and worked with the space we had.
Arduino’s have also been known to provide a challenge. Ensuring that wires are soldered correctly and power cords are properly connected is crucial, especially given that the buttons will be pressed many times over the three-month period. We needed to ensure that the parts inside would not move around and that the device was stable enough to withstand constant and varied interaction throughout the process. To protect the device and limit the frequency of trouble shooting the boards, we decided to use closed acrylic casing.
We hope guests will listen to the audio and relate to moments in their own lives. Our goal is to continue an open dialogue around mental health and encourage people to take a break for curiosity’s sake.
Our plan is to continue Recess through a series of creative workshops where guests can work together, meet new people, engage in conversation and learn new skills without judgement.
The installation is up at ‘The Hustle’ at Lululemon’s 318 Queen St. W. location from February — April 2017.
Click here to listen to audio pieces.
Sandbox is always looking for collaboration opportunities, if you have any thoughts send us an email at create@wearesandbox.co
@wearesandbox on IG.
