An idea begins with curiosity. With being on the move, seeking inspiration. Sometimes we need time to reflect on an idea for it to sink in, hit another idea and become something bigger. In searching for the new, our imaginations become tangible.

„The Origin Of An Idea“ by MINI seeks to translate stages of the creative process into a physical experience, shedding a light on the creative journey, and hopefully starting many new ideas in the process. The interactive installation explores the idea-finding-process and its three stages: inspire, reflect, and create. At the Forward Festivals in Vienna, Munich and Zurich attendants can discover the interactive installation and learn about their own creative mechanism.

 

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We all wanted an out-of-the-ordinary integration with the festival that generates additional value for our attendants and emphasizes the creative image of MINI, which is more than a car manufacturer. MINI stands for individuality, free thinking and creativity. That’s what we wanted to convey with this installation.

 

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The installation leads you through three rooms curated by three different designers. Each room is dedicated to a different stage of a creative process: inspiration, reflection and creation.

Plan

“The challenge we had was the topic of inspiration. Nowadays in our digital time, inspiration often starts with a search bar. People checking the internet, looking at images and starting with a big folder full of pictures. But maybe instead of looking at so many things, they should shut down the computer and start working with their thoughts first.” says Codec of Berlin-based VJ collective Pfadfinderei.

 

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The other stages were curated by Vienna-based designer Stefan Kainbacher and video artist Natalia Stuyk from London, known for her vivid and hypnotizing visuals. “When people go into my room and see the hologram I want them to take away the different angles and facets of it. It communicates the way I perceive beauty.”, explains Natalia.

 

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The project started with many different approaches, from separate rooms to virtual reality experiences and resulted in a combination of digital and analogue components. The designers were given a general direction and created their own interpretation of each topic. The inspiration room by Pfadfinderei is an image overkill using new, innovative technology that enables to show more than 8.000 images per second. The reflection room interprets its topic quite literal – with mirrors in every corner of the room and a special light show the visitors get to see a stunning visual experience. The third room is centered on a hypnotizing hologram and filled with Natalia’s artworks.

 

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Photo credit: Werner Streitfelder