Eigengrau (a term used to describe what is seen through closed eyes) is a web-based artwork that facilitates a sense of connection with others while resisting the rapid cognitive pace demanded by dominant social media platforms. It is a platform that can only be interacted with when users close their eyes. Using socket.io and p5js, an in-browser facial feature tracker detects when a participant's eyes are closed, at which point, an audible tone is generated. When multiple users visit the site and close their eyes simultaneously, harmonized tones are produced for each user and broadcast across the network, resulting in a collectively played organ.

This project encourages users to slow down, and through deep listening, acknowledge a moment shared with others. It is my hope that this project can create an opportunity for conference attendees to experience a more meditative sense of togetherness, in contrast to the screen exhaustion often brought about by videoconferencing-based events. Furthermore, this work seeks to activate, through a collaborative interactive experience, the metaphor of listening that is central to notions of peer-to-peer networking. A presentation will accompany this artwork, articulating the research that has gone into the project.

Eigengrau: https://eigengrau.glitch.me/

Craig Fahner: https://www.craigfahner.com/

Our Networks: https://ournetworks.ca