Pauline van Dongen: The Flip Dot Dress Performance

SALON/ was proud to present the most recent electronic design by Pauline van Dongen: the Flip Dot Dress. A dress which proves Van Dongen's true inventive nature as a fashion designer. "I really have to explore the boundaries of fashion."

During her artist in residence in Vienna she started out from the idea that every action has a certain result or consequence; the concept of leaving an imprint after each intervention or a certain interaction and thereby creating an interesting topography on the body. With this piece Van Dongen investigates the undulating surface of the body. She explores the idea of erosion, patterns, change and passing of time.

In Vienna she focused on wearables in fashion technology. Her wish to merge analogue and digital technology led her to flip-dots. They have a physical presence and tactility, emphasized by their flickering sound. Together with electrical engineer and robot hacker Daniel Schatzmayr, who she met in Vienna, she developed an interactive garment, by using the principle of flip-dots. Schatzmayr designed all the electronics and technology behind this kinetic piece. Each dot can individually be addressed by a computer to animate patterns swirling around the body. During the performance at the 333KM Gallery in Istanbul the dots were adjusted to react to the music. DJ Onur Karagöz created an eclectic mixture of electronic soundscapes with traditional Turkish influences. 


Photo's by JW Kaldenbach