#1230: Of Stars and Constellations: Culture and Identity within Collaborative Interactive Computational Art

Artistic computing education offers opportunities to explore disciplinary intersections that can support culturally sustaining experiences with technology. We present five computational art pieces created by 15 NYC high school students as part of CWP 2.0—an art & tech residency co-designed and facilitated by NYU researchers and Community Word Project Teaching Artists. Students combined visual and literary arts with electronics and coding as they reflected on oneself as a “star” in a constellation within their communities and society. Each piece includes sensors and output components the students programmed and embedded into sculptural and wearable artifacts. The artifacts are representative of various societies the learning community envisioned at the intersections of their cultures and identities. The pieces include: Threads of Our Community—a woven tapestry, An Ode to Identity—an interactive crown, An Ode to Peace—an interactive hat/pot, An ode to Unity—an interactive cape, and An Ode to Music-ing—an interactive music box & headphones.