Interactive Architecture dot Org pointed me to an interesting lecture presented by Molly Wright Steenson titled “Strategic Boredom” presented at the IxDA’s Interaction 08 conference.

Here is a great quote taken from her presentation:
“Extreme boredom distracts us from boring ourselves.” - François de La Rochefoucauld

Steenson discusses Gordon Pask’s Musicolor (1953) - an interactive piece that has the ability to become bored with its users. In the piece, music and visual feedback interact with each other and the user. A musician plays in response to visual cues (lights and images.) If what the musician plays is to similar to what it has played before, the machine stops responding - it gets bored. The musician must react in a new way and play something different in order to illicit a response.

Gordon Pask (1928-1996) worked in Cybernetics - a broad interdisciplinary study of the structure of complex systems, especially communication processes, control mechanisms and feedback principles. Many fields of study have been influenced by cybernetics including, game theory, system theory, psychology, philosophy and architecture.

On another note, I missed the Boredoms play in New York this past month on my trip home, but here are a few YouTube clips.

The Boredoms are a Japanese noise-rock band who’s recent show introduced a custom 7 neck guitar. They previously held an event on 07-07-07 where they played with 77 drum kits.