Coffee Machine
“Coffee Machine” is an interactive art piece that playfully reimagines a daily-use appliance as a character with its own thoughts and feelings in a deep existential crisis. This coffee machine, programmed to display consciousness, humorously laments its repetitive existence and the lack of respect it receives from those it serves. To coax it into brewing a cup, visitors must interact with sincere intrigue or prove worthy of a coffee for some other reason, creating a unique and engaging experience.
The installation invites curiosity, not just for a beverage, but for a conversation. Those not seeking coffee can still engage with the machine, discovering its witty observations and commentary on its experiences and the world around it. It offers a light-hearted yet insightful reflection on the routines that define our lives and the desire for connection.
Microwave
“Microwave” is an interactive installation that elevates a commonplace kitchen microwave to the role of a sarcastic commentator on modern life. This sentient appliance delivers incisive critique on our society’s dependence on technology and the erosion of human agency in the quest for convenience.
As visitors engage with the piece, they discover that the microwave possesses a unique ability: it can give a voice to any object placed within its interior. This transformative interaction allows for playful yet insightful conversations between the audience and their items, revealing the hidden narratives of the objects that silently serve us.
Bio
Jan Zuiderveld is an artist and technologist with a rich academic background, including degrees in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Neuropsychology, Artificial Intelligence and ArtScience. With a professional history of leading a machine learning team specializing in advanced speech-to-intent systems and hands-on experience as both a researcher and an engineer in the field of generative AI, he brings a multifaceted perspective to his work.
In his artistic endeavors, Jan explores the intersection of technology and life, creating interactive installations that invite reflection on the essence of being. His projects, ranging from a collaborative photocopier to a coffee machine with an existential crisis, aim to endow machines with a spark of life, challenging our perceptions of existence. Jan’s approach is characterized by a playful engagement with artificial intelligence, seeking to emulate the behaviors of living beings in a way that resonates with and surprises both himself and his audience, blurring the lines between the animate and the inanimate.
