1. Unconscious Play
Major Studio 2
Mini-Thesis
Xu Jia

2. Water Walk, John Cage, 1960

3. John Cage’s music theory
1937 The Future of Music: Credo
Music: organization of sound
late 1940s: Indian Philosophy and Zen
Buddism
chance-controlled music
Questions the division between the artistic
sphere and ordinary life.

4. Chance Operation
Set a number of clear parameters, and then carefully
formulate questions, which chance operation would
“answer”.

5. Chance Operation
Introducing chance into art making has a number of
important consequences: it diminishes the control over
the artistic product, and it mirrors the randomness of
everyday life.

6. Action Painting
Jackson Pollock,
Number 8, 1949

7. Analogy
Unconscious Play VS Action Painting
Paints splashed onto the canvas, rather than being
carefully applied. The resulting work often
emphasizes the physical act of painting itself as an
essential aspect of the finished work or concern of
its artist.

8. Joseph Beuys : “Every human being is an artist”
Participation: the audience’s role changes from
passive observers into active producers.
How could everybody become an artist as an
unconscious player?
A step further

9. Methods and material
• Physical computing
• Max/Msp
• Laser Cutting
• Transparent acrylic board

10. Cardboard Plotter by Niklas Roy

11. Modeling

12. Inner Structure

15. Input Output
Audio Pin
Contact Mic
Preamp
Hardware