Mark H. Geary (US, UK)
Mark H. Geary is a sound artist and experience designer working at the fringes of technology to develop new and innovative ways of experiencing art. His work is rooted in the discovery of art’s vast potential to grapple with complex subjects, to educate, and to inspire change. At Google Arts & Culture Lab, Mark manages the creation of interactive artworks developed by artists using cutting-edge technology to reinterpret climate data, making complex environmental themes more accessible. Drawing on his experience with large-scale interactive installations, such as the nature-inspired virtual reality projects by Marshmallow Laser Feast, Mark explores how technology can enhance our understanding of and interaction with the natural world. Mark also has a sound art practice that focuses on designing immersive and interactive listening environments by experimenting with methods to deepen the auditory experience. His diverse background, including over 12 years as a chef, allows him to apply crossmodal concepts that blend different disciplines, moving beyond the medium to explore the transformative power of experience itself.
Keywords: creative project manager, google, google arts and culture, marshmallow laser feast, production manager, creative direction, experimental music, nature-human-technology collaboration
Afternoon topic: Constructive utopia (Play)
Playful interactions, storytelling, and game dynamics are among the most powerful influences on the human mind. Let's step into the impressive dimensions of large-scale installations and immerse ourselves in the connection between cognition, control, and technology.
The phenomenon of play is (seemingly) a light-hearted way of fascination with the world, order, chaos and the joy of the sheer play of forms, but also of cognition. The interactivity of computer games or objects, like the fusion of monumental static architectural structures with moving images, are valuable ways to tap into positive energy. Play is not only a way of education, but also of ancient rituals in which the duality of light and darkness has always played a central role. Fairy tales, stories, metaphors, parables, dramatic light séances lead to a balance of the elements.
