This is an archived page from the Website Archive of British artist Ellie Harrison from Version 3.0 (active 2008 - 2015). New website: www.ellieharrison.com

last updated
15th July 2015

This installation features two Mac computer programmes made during the LabCulture digital arts residency Ellie completed at Watershed in Bristol from 15th - 22nd September 2002. The two programmes were designed to be installed side-by-side on two iMacs alongside snack bowls full of TicTacs and peanuts. The installation was shown as part of the Re: Thinking: Time exhibition at Peterborough Digital Arts (now The Space 4 Gallery) from 10th April - 23rd May 2004.

The TicTac Typing & Peanut Typing programmes each calculate, and illustrate on screen through a video clip, the amount of typing required to burn off the energy contained in either a TicTac or a peanut respectively.

Each programme randomly generates a piece of text for you to copy. As you type this at a steady pace, a video of a person consuming a TicTac or a peanut plays. The duration of the video in each programme is equal to the time taken for you to burn off, through typing, the energy contained in either a TicTac or a peanut respectively. For a TicTac containing 8.3 kilojoules this is 66 seconds of typing and for a peanut containing 12.4 kilojoules this is 98 seconds of typing.

The programmes were created using Max MSP software with production assistance from Duncan Speakman.