States of Play

Fun exhibition at the Humber Street Gallery in Hull looking at how play shapes our lives and the role of play in adult lives as part of Hull City of Culture.

This was a fun interactive exhibition with lots to see, do and make you think. It explored the role of experimental play as part of creative thinking and making things. Fun objects included a take on the old penny drop arcade machine but using tokens based on those used by Hull merchants. I liked Richard Slee’s sculptures of the trajectory of ping pong balls as they bounce.

There was a display of software which downloads model designs from a website and combines them to randomly build new works and installation of chairs with the bottom on one leg cut at an angel to enable you to balance them on one leg. I liked a slightly creepy robot which seemed to be able to see you and comment on what you were doing.

The picture is of a knitted lamp which took energy from people coming near it and lit up and knitted a bit more of the structure.

Closes on 24 September 2017

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