20th November to 9th December 2017

HIF Cloud 2017 – Workshop

Event Details

HIF Cloud 2017 – wearables workshop will run in Sydney, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangdong and Hong Kong during summer 2017 and is ideal for students across varied disciplines – textiles, computer science, intermedia design, product design, SPI (sculpture/performance/installation), jewellery, bioengineering etc who are interested in exploring critical and speculative wearables to imagine the future self through art or design practice.

The 3rd HIF Cloud Workshop 2017 explores the theme FUTUREself.

It challenges students in an inter-disciplinary, inter-national and inter-cultural collaboration to envision the future of wearables. The projects will cast future scenarios for wearables that harness the power of cloud computing to enrich and transcend human interactions in the Asia-Pacific region.

The future of wearable technology is here…

Mass markets are rapidly adapting and transitioning from portable (mobile phones, tablets) to wearable (Google glass and motion sensors) devices. Wearables that live on, near or in our bodies give rise to a previously unimagined level of data about users and the environment.

By enabling the connection of divergent data sets, wearables provide life-augmenting levels of interactivity that could benefit and enrich the ways that we understand individual and community wellbeing. The absorption of technology into the very fabric of clothes, accessories and even bodies begins to dilute boundaries between physical, technological and social spheres and has potential implications for human evolution.

The workshop provides a platform for broader debate around wearable technology, our mediated future selves and human interactions in this future landscape.

4-day intensive preparation workshop + 20 day international immersive mobility experience

4-day intensive preparation course June 27-29 and 8th Sep.

The China mobility experience begins in Hong Kong with a series of workshops with students from partner universities Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong and Queensland University of Technology.

Then we spend a week in Beijing visiting Galleries and individual artist’s studios, learning Mandarin and creating prototype wearables at Makercollider Beijing.

Then we head south to work with master craftspeople in Nanhai rattan weaving village in Guangdong Province, visit Dafen artists’ village in Shenzhen, and visit 3D print and electronics companies.

We will continue to develop wearable prototypes with the engineers at Esun and Seeedstudios XFactory.

The resulting wearable prototypes will be launched along with student led public workshops.

We return to Hong Kong for the last day of the course.

THIS WORKSHOP HAS FINISHED

Testimonials from this Workshop

We learned a lot about China and I like to think we learned a lot about ourselves, and made connections that will last a lifetime. Jared Griffiths

Hong Kong Felt so vibrant and so alive I don’t think I have ever felt this in Sydney. Being in a completely different environment felt strangely ’usual’ even though some of it was hard to stomach at times crazy had become pretty normal. With so many incredibly talented people I only got to take a glance into their lives, I only wish I could have met them individually and personally. The outcome of their dedication and skills inspired me to work harder and to achieve more.
Robert Sloan

Our first impressions of Hong Kong was fraught with a prevalent feeling of claustrophobia, but also an invigorating liveliness. A million miniature stories happening at once.
Marleen Baquiran

Beijing was very different to Hong Kong. The Sheer scale of the city completely blew me away. This was such an amazing experience to be a part of. I’ve learnt so much and made so many new friends. I am exceptionally proud of my group and our project. Working in this part of Asia really opened my eyes and broadened my horizons. I cannot wait to apply some new ideas and teachings to my design practice. Thank you.
Isabella Worsley

I don’t think I could have ever anticipated how I felt once I landed in Hong Kong. Being present in a world which is this weird mix of similarity but is also entirely different at the same time. You find yourself questioning the perceptions you have about these places, assessing how unaligned they are with reality and also challenging from where you get these ideas about these places. Looking back, I found that working on our projects and collaborating with local students let us experience China in a less touristy and superficial way. We had the privilege of hearing about the way that these students thought.
Leila Frijat

A fresh pair of eyes and collaboration are always constructive.
Monisha Chippada

This was my first time overseas so it was a really good opportunity for me, and while we did have the opportunity to visit cultural heritage sites like the Great Wall of china and the forbidden city I kind of found my most significant cultural exchange moments being within the everydayness of travelling, of trying to find my way through the city, and finding food, and being able to see the daily rituals and values that people have there. Like seeing elder citizens in the city practicing ti chi in groups in the morning. Overall it was really great opportunity to be able to go overseas and work on this project in a really fast paced environment and to be able to readjust my skills set for what was needed at the time.
Maja Sieczko

This was my first trip overseas and my cultural experience was amazing, I met so many great locals and explored some truly amazing places. I really left my comfort zone, eating new different things everyday – trying to communicate with the locals and even normal everyday things like trying to cross the road when everyone drives like crazy. Overall this was one of the most enjoyable things I have done in my life and I can’t wait to go back to China in the future.
Mitchelle Shelton

I created the Lovely Deadly brand with the premise of utilising high quality natural fabric with feminine silhouettes to deliver both innovative yet classic designs. The HIF cloud workshop granted me the ability to challenge the critical design process in my medium of textiles, with our exploration into the Chinese design and textile industry proving invaluable in the formation of my practice’s foundation. The collaborative environment of the HIF cloud workshop as well as the abundance of professional mentoring throughout proved the experience as one both culturally and intellectually enlightening.
Jay Rickard

The Great Wall was more incredible than I imagined. The wall followed the curves of the mountaintops. It was an amazing feeling to walk on a structure that was built thousands of years ago.
I have never seen electronics production so this was a real eye opener. The X factory studio tour was a dream come true, all the resources for prototyping you could imagine, all in one place. It was great to meet the other makers working in this space. Artists from all over the world come to work in the X Factory Space.
Laura Keogh

The rich cultural history surrounding the forbidden city was surreal. To think I was walking on the very pavement where once a whole Empire existed. The Great Wall of China. Something spiritual was happening that I did not quite understand. I often wonder if my ancestors had journey that way before, like Mongolia? I know men Asia Pacific had come to Torres Strait to follow the pearling industry and had since influenced the entire Torres Strait with their language, religion, family and cuisine. Some had stayed and died in the Torres Strait without returning to their homeland.
Ruth Saveka

We took inspiration from the local weaving village, foundry and the local painting village which really blew our minds in terms of what is possible in china and what’s possible in the world and exactly how much we are consuming as a global community. Some of the important learnings from our project included the important interplay between design and technology and how collaboration and working simultaneously throughout the design process is important for its final success.
Neelam Gopalani

I have only stayed in the central area of Hong Kong from previous visits and got to discover the great architects and the bustling vibe that Hong Kong is known for. But on this trip, I got to see to so much more, from different HK universities, to walking down temple street and ladies market, going to Shan Shui Po for material shopping and found an incredible fabric market under a massive tent. I got to experience Hong Kong on a much deeper level in terms of understanding it’s traditions more through daily interaction with local citizens. Language class in the morning was a fun time for me hearing everyone speaking my first language. This trip has made me appreciate my ability to speak Chinese so much more than before, as I was able to help everyone to get around in China.
Amelia Liu

Shenzhen was really amazing, we got to see the metal foundry, which I thought was amazing, I think everyone forgets that these things are made by hand still. So that was a really cool thing to see, so I enjoyed that a lot. We also got to see XFactory and eSun and Seeed so we got to learn how things are made there, and I had a really good time getting to see how things are made in China. The date that we had on the 8th September, when we had to all sit down and think about our values, that day really prompted us to think about what we are going to do and why we are doing it and we had a really strong connection after that. So thanks Tricia, for doing that cause that was really helpful for our team, I think if it wasn’t for that day where we all assessed our values and what we had been doing so far we would have been a lot more lost. So thanks Tricia I really enjoyed the trip.
Sivaan Walker

Where and When

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

20th November to 9th December 2017

People Involved

Participant
	Amelia Liu Painting & Digital Media Artist Participant Amelia Liu Painting & Digital Media Artist My name is Amelia Liu and I am an artist. My major is painting and digital media, and I am extremely interested in this workshop because I want to see, and be a part of creating possibilities and sparks between the creative fields of fashion/crafts and technology that comes together to serve future human interactions. I am extremely interested in interacting with different materials and mediums through research and coming up with solutions to combine multiple creative areas, such as painting with textile. Since our workshop focuses on combining wearables with technology, art and design to create innovative pieces, my skills and knowledge of researching and exploring different material possibilities would relate to this workshop.I would also love to experience artisan practice and experience Chinese culture through COFA. I am Chinese Australian myself and would love to gain knowledge on the artisan practice developments back in my hometown.
	Amy Malek SPI Artist Participant Amy Malek SPI Artist Amy, an SPI artist and current student completing a Fine arts Honours degree.
	Angelo Yan Electrical Engineer Participant Angelo Yan Electrical Engineer I’m Angelo and I have a background in computer science and electrical engineering. I speak both English and Chinese but I also know a variety of programming languages including C, Visual Basic, HTML, and JavaScript but I’m most comfortable with Python (not the snake). On the hardware side, I’ve worked with Arduinos and Lego robotics and I’ve also taken courses on digital circuit design. I’m interested in taking part in a larger project get access to and apply resources that I wouldn’t normally use, such as 3D printing or virtual reality equipment.
	Clive Chen Participant Clive Chen
	Deanna Wawn Jewellery and Textile Designer Participant Deanna Wawn Jewellery and Textile Designer I am a jewellery and textile designer who is passionate about experimenting with new materials and using them in diverse applications in regards to wearables. My research and practice has involved wearable and body responsive technologies, rapid prototyping technology such as laser cutting and 3D printing. I am interested to gain broader and more diverse perspectives through this workshop.
	Elizabeth Read Medical Student and Artist Participant Elizabeth Read Medical Student and Artist Elizabeth Read is a 4th year Medicine student and artist, currently completing research into aortic valve replacement at St Vincent’s Hospital. Her art practice is in rhythmic and sound sculpture. She is interested in the applications of wearable technology in the medical field, both internal and external, and in tech that removes distinction between the two; she is especially interested in ideas that use skin as conduit, rather than a distinct barrier.
	Harry Eggington Participant Harry Eggington Harry is a drawing, painting and marketing major in his fourth year of study. He has always been fascinated by the history and culture of China and its manufacturing industry. He wishes to explore the way that wearables can impact and improve our future selves.
	Isabella Worsley Bachelor of Design and Media Participant Isabella Worsley Bachelor of Design and Media Isabella Worsley is currently studying a bachelor of design and media at the University of New South Wales, where she majors in graphics and textiles. She is extremely passionate about art and design and hopes to learn as much as she can from the HIF Cloud Workshop. It has been a dream of hers to apply her creative skills and realise a fully functioning prototype.
	Jack Parker Participant Jack Parker I come from a performance and music background, more recently integrating acting, vocal work, performance and music production into film, video and installation. I am currently in my second year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts at UNSW Art & Design and briefly studied Music and Sound Design & Communications at UTS. Through the Sculpture, Performance, Installation major at UNSW I hope to workshop my performance skills and experience into highly digital work that an audience can directly engage with and participate in. My interest in the China Mobility Trip primarly lies in centring new, wearable technologies around the performers body and examining the presentation of a future ‘self’ through performance and sculpture.
	Jared Griffiths Master of Design Student Participant Jared Griffiths Master of Design Student I’m a Master of Design student, with an interest in Interaction Design. I previously studied a Bachelor of Software Engineering with Honours at Monash University, and currently work as a Senior Agile Business Analyst at the Reserve Bank of Australia. I undertook a Wearables and Biosensing course at COFA in 2016, where I designed a functional prototype for a motion controlled, helmet mounted, haptic indicator device (I tackled the project fairly literally). For this course, I want to use my; technical, design, artistic, and analytical skills to develop cutting edge interactions, processes, and products. I have experience in making (arduino, 3D printing), coding, team facilitation, and Agile development.
	Jay Rickards Designer Participant Jay Rickards Designer My name is Jay Rickards, I’m a designer who predominantly works with textiles and graphics. I’m interested in the hybridisation of wearables and digital technology and how this can be applied in different design contexts. Understanding the direction of innovation that technology is migrating into has always been an interest of mine, and the HIF cloud workshop appeals to my design practice as it provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with individuals from software, medical and engineering backgrounds.
	Kristone Capistrano Artist, Writer and Educator Participant Kristone Capistrano Artist, Writer and Educator Kristone Capistrano, is an emerging Western-Sydney artist, writer and educator in the fields of contemporary drawing and portraiture. His large-scale charcoal portraits combine the ideals of figurative realism with the performative and spatiotemporal sensibilities of post-conceptual art. My interest in wearables and textile production stems from my ongoing research into portraiture, self-representation, and the imaging of the human person.
	Laura Keogh Participant Laura Keogh My background is in apparel design, pattern making and garment construction. Artisan crafting is central to many of my projects. Through the variety of the programs and workshops in the HIF cloud course I hope that I can merge my current knowledge with the world of wearable technology. I will take inspiration from new materials and processes and build ideas with like minded makers, factories and suppliers, to blend traditional craftsmanship with new technologies.
	Leila Frijat Multimedia Designer Participant Leila Frijat Multimedia Designer My name is Leila I’m a multimedia designer (focusing on graphics and interactive design) and illustrator that’s interested in expanding my knowledge and interests to encompass textiles. In specific looking at how we can more easily integrate technology into everyday life using wearable tech as an example of this. I am interested in the interaction and interface relationships people have with design, and am curious as to how it can be integrated into other fields other than just screens. The idea of technology being able to be a response system to the external world definitely intrigues me.
	Maja Sieczko Participant Maja Sieczko Maja is a designer currently in her final year at UNSW Art & Design, her practice is based on future textiles and the development of biodegradable alternatives to synthetic materials. She is interested in the opportunity for wearables to alter the way we interact with our clothing, as it develops their functionality beyond everyday garments that cover our bodies.
	Marlene Baquiran Computer Science Student Participant Marlene Baquiran Computer Science Student I’m Marlene and I’m a Computer Science student at UNSW. Having done a lot of development in mobile I’m excited to experiment with wearables as the next step in technology in our everyday lives. I hope to learn from true innovators in our trip to China and learn more about its complex culture while I’m there.
	Michael Nguyen-Huynh Participant Michael Nguyen-Huynh Michael Nguyen-Huynh is a fine arts student at UNSW Art & Design, majoring in Sculpture, Performance & Installation. His works centre around the potentials of the human body, and their relationships with the energies of time, space, and one another. He is greatly interested in the momentum put forth by future technologies, and how societies will evolve alongside them.
	Mitchell Shelton Computer Scientist Participant Mitchell Shelton Computer Scientist Hi, I’m Mitch, I’m a computer scientist. I have a huge passion for AI and machine learning and i’m excited how I can apply these technologies to wearables.
	Monisha Chippada Textiles and Interactive Media Student Participant Monisha Chippada Textiles and Interactive Media Student Monisha is a third year textiles and interactive media student with an unquenchable thirst for all things creative. She has always wanted to visit china because of its unique landscape and diverse culture. She is interested in cultural representation in both eastern and western societies. She is interested in the way that wearables explore and represent the stories and the people who create them and wishes to explore the ideas and personalities that our future selves will represent.
	Neelam Gopalani Artist Participant Neelam Gopalani Artist I am a practicing artist, a marketing professional and creative facilitator. My artistic practice is multidisciplinary, with a focus on textiles, installation and painting. Wearables interest me as an extension of the human body. I’m fascinated by the stories that people tell through what they wear, and the stories that inform (and communities that can be created during) the making process. I’m interested in experimental approaches to materiality. I’m also passionate about learning from traditional textiles processes and preserving these in modern day contexts. Sustainability is important to me, as is transforming unseen or unloved things. I do this to challenge how we look at things and interact with the world.
	Robert Sloan Computer Scientist Participant Robert Sloan Computer Scientist I’m Robert Sloan, a computer scientist focusing on software design and development. I am eager to explore the broad realm of wearables and to collaborate in shaping the direction of future technologies. Beyond the field of technology, I spend much of my spare time learning about different cultures and languages, and am especially interested in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese languages, businesses, and technologies.
	Rose Elliot Electrical Engineer Participant Rose Elliot Electrical Engineer I’m Rose Elliot, an Electrical Engineer with skills in computer science. I’m interested in functional design focusing on clothing and jewellery, looking to explore the interaction between the body and technology.
	Ruth Saveka Bachelor of Fine Arts (hons), Major in Textiles Participant Ruth Saveka Bachelor of Fine Arts (hons), Major in Textiles Inspired by the natural environment. Ruth is interested in how this workshop can impact her community.
	Sivaan Walker Bachelor of Fine Arts/Arts Participant Sivaan Walker Bachelor of Fine Arts/Arts Major is in Sculpture, Performance and Installation (SPI) and is inspired by the body and how the environment can design the self.