Ágnes Hegedűs’s piece is a pioneering work of interactive digital art, which, though pre-dating the Internet, lays the groundwork for future telematic artworks by incorporating remote interaction and real-time communication. This computer graphic installation connects two physically distant locations, allowing participants to engage with the artwork simultaneously through a shared televirtual space. Each participant operates a multi-axis joystick to manipulate a computer-generated image — a spherical object divided into two parts — displayed on a large projection screen. The outer surface of the sphere features images of fruit, while the inner surface displays a geographical map of the world. The users, through their actions, work together to align the fruit images on both sides, creating a collaborative experience that is both visual and social. In addition to the interactive display, the installation includes a videophone, enabling the participants to see and communicate with each other in real-time, further enhancing the social dimension of the piece. When the two users successfully coordinate their actions and align the images, they are rewarded with a virtual outpouring of coins, adding an element of playfulness to the work. Fruit Machine exemplifies Hegedűs’s exploration of interaction, collaboration, and the blending of digital and social spaces, offering a unique experience that connects distant individuals in a shared, aesthetic telematic space just before the widespread use of the Internet for such purposes.
Source of images and more info: https://digitalartarchive.at/database/general/work/televirtual-fruit-machine.html
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