Play with Fire is an interactive installation calling its participants to ignite generative fires over live streaming video of selected forests. The experience paradoxically encourages playing with forests fires, in order to raise awareness towards its prevention
Play with Fire triggers controversial feelings by combining the “wonder and danger” of a forest on fire, effecting attitude change towards environmental protection.
Play with Fire was designed as a digital art experience that happens over two different stages: an invitation to interact through the gestural interface, and a reflective part on a mobile application tracking the regeneration of the virtually burnt forest.
Living in Portugal, a place that has been extremely exposed to forest fires, makes us very sensitive to the destruction of forest patrimony by fire hazards, which also applies to a world scale. As researchers exploring arts practices, we can play a role as promoters of change in people's behavior regarding forests protection. Can digital art foster awareness and respect for nature? As a step in answering this question, we seek to pose a constructive approach to the destructive dynamics of fire that aggravate climate change.
This research is part of the ongoing activity of ARTiVIS, an online platform for open sharing of real-time video streams of forests. In order to test, use and progress the ARTiVIS platform, we created a series of interactive experiences that make use of the platform, as digital contexts of aesthetic contemplation of nature. Play with Fire as one of the interactive experiences, is making use of the tension created by the installation itself, to foster control over danger and functional monitoring for forest protection in a surveillance system.
