An artistic campaign in Venice brought awareness to social problems through interactive installations. Three approaches were used: Interacting through installations that stimulated discussion of issues like trash dumping; Exploring through geocaching games that shared information on issues while exploring the city; and Contributing by collecting community data to add to exhibitions addressing concerns. Testing found installations worked best with stimulus and geocaching was an engaging way to learn, though maintenance was required. The complete exhibition aimed to connect these pieces to create awareness through interaction, exploration and contribution.

1. Interactive Venice:
An artistic campaign to bring awareness to
Venetian social problems
Michael Frankfort, Rinaldo Izzo, Roni Rostom, Jill Sauer

2. Community Concerns
Graffiti in Venice Lack of Affordable Housing
Increasing Tourist Population
Commercialization Cost of Living
Illegal Garbage Dumping

3. Structural Concerns
Deteriorating Infrastructure Acqua Alta Sewage Problems
Deteriorating Art Moto Ondoso

4. Art Creating Awareness
Picasso’s 1937 painting
“Guernica”
“InterANTARCTICA”
exhibit 2009

5. Venice Biennale Creating
Awareness

6. Addressing Social Concerns
VS.

7. Our Approach to Create
Awareness
Interacting Exploring Contributing

8. Interacting

9. Example – “Scents and
Sensibilities”
• Issue of illegal trash
dumping
• Effects of illegal
trash dumping
• Refreshing the air to
contrast with
problem

10. Example – “Spray it Forward”
Example
issues:
Graffiti and
Pigeons
Motion
sensor and
sound device
Modular; easy
to change for
varied
installations

11. Example - “Brodo di Pesce”
Concept modified from original
design to encourage interaction
Social concern:
Delicate relationship between
Venice and water

12. Testing
Testing Factors:
Installation Functionality Participant Response
Locals vs. Tourists

13. Testing
Location of Deployment:
Duration of Deployment:
4hrs / day
Deployment Cycles:
Calle Carampane 3 iterations
San Polo, Venezia

14. Results: “Spray it Forward” Day 1
38 Participants:
“Spray it Forward” No
Reaction Significant
11% Reaction
13%
Minimal
Reaction
76%

15. Results: “Spray it Forward” Day 2
33 Participants:
“Spray it Forward” No
Reaction
9%
Minimal
Reaction
49% Significant
Reaction
42%

16. Results: “Scents and Sensibility”
41 Participants:
“Scents and Sensibility” No
Reaction
Minimal 17%
Reaction
39%
Significant
Reaction
44%

17. Results: Locals Vs. Tourists
Moderate
responses
and
reactions Smaller reactions,
If any
Locals Tourists

18. Interacting Conclusions
Stimulus Needed! Lack of Response
Need for a Venue

19. Connecting the Pieces

20. Approaches to Create Awareness
Interacting Exploring

21. Exploring

22. Geocaching

23. Raising Awareness

24. Information
In front of many restaurants and houses,
there are often piles of trash left out
during the day to be taken away the next
morning. Seagulls, pigeons, and other
pests open the garbage bags and spread the
trash through the streets. Illegal garbage
dumping in Venice is found throughout
the city and at many different times of day.

25. Puzzles
Cross the most (06 01 13 15 21 19) bridge
over the (07 18 01 14 04) (03 01 14 01 12),
past the square with the old (03 08 21 18 03 08),
and take the (19 05 03 15 14 04) right at the five-way
intersection of roads.
Follow the (19 20 18 05 05 20) almost to the end.

26. Puzzles
Cross the most ( F 01 13 15 21 19) bridge
over the (07 18 01 14 04) (03 01 14 01 12),
past the square with the old (03 08 21 18 03 08),
and take the (19 05 03 15 14 04) right at the five-way
intersection of roads.
Follow the (19 20 18 05 05 20) almost to the end.

27. Puzzles
Cross the most ( F A 13 15 21 19) bridge
over the (07 18 01 14 04) (03 01 14 01 12),
past the square with the old (03 08 21 18 03 08),
and take the (19 05 03 15 14 04) right at the five-way
intersection of roads.
Follow the (19 20 18 05 05 20) almost to the end.

28. Puzzles
Cross the most ( F A M 15 21 19) bridge
over the (07 18 01 14 04) (03 01 14 01 12),
past the square with the old (03 08 21 18 03 08),
and take the (19 05 03 15 14 04) right at the five-way
intersection of roads.
Follow the (19 20 18 05 05 20) almost to the end.

29. Puzzles
Cross the most ( F A M O U S ) bridge
over the ( G R A N D C A N A L ),
past the square with the old ( C H U R C H ),
and take the ( S E C O N D ) right at the five-way intersection
of roads.
Follow the ( S T R E E T ) almost to the end.

30. Puzzles
Cross the most ( F A M O U S ) bridge
over the ( G R A N D C A N A L ),
past the square with the old ( C H U R C H ),
and take the ( S E C O N D ) right at the five-way intersection
of roads.
Follow the ( S T R E E T ) almost to the end.

31. Challenges
Count the number of tour
groups you see on your way
from the first container to
the second!

32. VeniCaching

33. Testing
Cache Deployment Duration:
6 caches for 4 Weeks
Longevity of Containers
Well hidden
Theft-proof, no vandalism

34. Play Testing
Volunteers play
through the
Geocaching Route
Test Groups: Cache Cycles:
3 2 iterations

35. Results
Comments:
• Fun and Engaging
• Unique way of MAINTENANCE
learning REQUIRED!
Average Completion
Time:
1 hour

36. Adding More Pieces

37. Approaches to Create Awareness
Interacting Exploring Contributing

38. Contributing

39. Contributing

40. Data Collection

41. Creating an Interactive Campaign
Interacting Exploring Contributing

42. A Complete Exhibition

43. The Exhibition Room, Today and
Tomorrow

44. Thank you!
https://sites.google.com/site/ve11bien/home
Contact:
ve11-bien@wpi.edu
ve11.bien@gmail.com