Interactive art

An interactive artwork is not a piece of art which is perfectly finished by the artist and immutably exposed to the public. It is a conversation, an ongoing process of perceiving and being perceived. It changes its meaning by being seen, it changes its form by being approached.

Picaroon creates interactive art since 2012. Their work has been exhibited at different events and in different countries, including the Ars Electronica Festival (2018, Linz - Austria), the AURORA light art festival (2015, Dallas - USA), the 3D Printshow (2014, London - England), the Glasgow Science Centre (2014, Glasgow - Scotland) and the Ars Electronica Festival (2013, Linz - Austria),.

'Picaroon' is an archaic English word and means adventurer or pirate.

Picaroon was founded in 2013 by Rebecca Gischel (Interaction Artist) and Sebastian Walter (3D Designer) and is now run by Rebecca Gischel.

Since the founding of Picaroon in 2013, Picaroon's work was exhibited at world-class festivals and venues, such as the Ars Electronica Festivals 2013 and 2018 in Linz (AT), the AURORA Light Festival 2015 in Dallas (USA), the 3D Printshow 2014 in London (UK) and the Science Centre in Glasgow (UK). She was awarded several sponsorships and funds, among others by the Arts Trust Scotland and the ideasTap Britain.

Picaroon is working at the intersection of art and technology. Rebecca creates interactive installations and acrylic paintings that address relevant social, personal and cultural themes of her generation. For her work, Gischel draws on her studies in Media and Interaction Design as well as on her experience working as a freelance interaction designer for global tech companies. Her observations of how digital products are created and how they influence her generation on a personal and professional level constantly feed back into her artistic work. The other facet of her work reflects the longing for places untouched by digital trends and constraints of our times.

Depending on the nature of each project, friends from various disciplines join the adventure.

These are some Picaroons who worked together with us for previous projects:
– Franz Gischel (Electronics engineer who checks our installations on security and supports us with electronic insights)
– Ronald Jenkees (American Composer, who worked with us on the music for Tangible Orchestra)
– Theresa Zaremba (German Composer, who composed music for Global Sounds and Tangible Orchestra)
– Hannes Holzmair & Marius Bungart (provided great support in planning the construction of SURFACE X)

Supported by

• FARE – Guenther Fassbender GmbH with generously sponsoring 40 umbrellas FARE-iAuto, the only type of our many tested umbrellas which were durable enough for the mechanical stress of the installation SURFACE X
• Arts Trust Scotland with their art funding to support "artists of considerable talent to develop their skill, ideas and potential"
• ideasTap Britain with a design fund to support ongoing projects of emerging artists
• Edinburgh Napier University with an Inventor's Scholarship

Past Exhibitions (Selection)

• Ars Electronica Festival 2018 in Linz (AT) with SURFACE X and Global Sounds
• AURORA light art festival 2015 in Dallas (USA) with Global Sounds
• Ars Electronica Festival 2013 in Linz (AT) with Global Sounds
• London 3D Printshow 2014 in London (UK) with Tangible Orchestra
• Glasgow Science Centre 2014 in Glasagow (UK) with Tangible Orchestra

• Picaroon on German TV Channel KIKA – KiKA LIVE - Ben auf dem Ars Electronica Festival (24.09.2018)
• Am Anfang war der Fehler – die fünf Highlights der Ars Elctronica von Festival-Chef Gerfried Stocker (08.09.2018)
• Mehr Schein als Sein – SURFACE X at the Ars Electronica (07.09.2018)
• Ars Electronica Blog – SURFACE X (05.09.2018)
• Ars Electronica u19 – CREATE YOUR WORLD 2018: Alternatives Lehren und Lernen (05.07.2018)
• Art and Seek – Video interview at the AURORA festival about Global Sounds (23.10.2015)
• Paperlyte Films – A video of AURORA 2015, including Picaroon's Global Sounds (06.11.2015)
• culturemap – Dallas Aurora 2015: 13 must-see moments at transformative Dallas Arts District experience (14.10.2015)
• Dallas AURORA – Picaroon as part of the AURORA 2015 in Dallas (27.09.2015)
• DISRUPTIVE – Where music and art meet 3D printing: Tangible Orchestra (29.07.2015)
• O2 Business Blog – 3D Print Show (29.09.2014)
• Livegreen Blog – Picaroon and The Tangible Orchestra. Sound and space. (28.08.2014)
• 3D Printing Industry – Picaroon’s 3DPrintShow Art Nomination. (29.08.2014)
• Omnicom Media Group – Interactive Art Intrigues and Perplexes Passersby (06.07.2014)
• Architizer – An Interactive 3D Orchestra Is Everything You Wished Dance Dance Revolution Was and More (29.07.2014)
• O2 Business – Picaroon gave an interview for O2 Business at the 3D Printshow London. (07.09.2014)
• Media Architecture Institute – Tangible Orchestra – Walking through the music (03.06.2014)
• 3DRUCK.COM (German) – Picaroon: Interaktive Kunst aus dem 3D-Drucker (21.05.2014)
• Interactive Design Institute – Article and interview about Picaroon and the Tangible Orchestra at Edinburgh's Interactive Design Institute (10.05.2014)
• Arduino Blog – A Tangible Orchestra one can walk through and play with others 23.05.2014)
• Laughing Squid – Tangible Orchestra, A Proximity Sensing Music Installation (21.05.2014)
• Digitalarti – Article by Digitalarti: Tangible Orchestra, light and sound playground (14.05.2014)
• Protein – An Article about Tangible Orchestra by Protein (08.05.2014)
• Socrates (greek) “Tangible Orchestra” –  Μια ορχήστρα από μουσικούς Κυλίνδρους - Μουσική εγκατάσταση από τους Picaroon (20.05.2014)
• Ars Electronica Blog – Picarøøn presented their project Global Sounds at Ars Electronica Festival 2013 in Linz (AT). In the Ars Electronica Blog, the artist Rebecca Gischel has written about their inspiration, projects and ideas behind them. (12.08.2013)
• Pheripheral ARTeries – An interview of Picaroon of the Art Magazine Pheripheral ARTeries in their December Issue (17.12.2013)
• Frukt: 5 innovative music installations – FRUKT writes about the Art of Sound and presents 5 innovative music installations, including Voice Array, an installation of the internationally known artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, as well as Picarøøn's installation Global Sounds. (07.05.2013)
• Arduino Blog – Arduino, manufacturer of the electronic boards Picarøøn uses for their installations, presents Global Sounds on their Blog. (29.05.2013)
• Protein – Protein is an inspiration platform that keeps up-to-date on the latest global trends, behaviours and thinking. In May 2013 they showcased Global Sounds. (May 2013)
• – Concept Cupboard – Concept Cupboard writes about writes about their favorite art installations. (13.08.2013)
• The Edinburgh Reporter – When exhibited the first time in Edinburgh, Global Sounds was spotted by the Edinburgh Reporter. (24.04.2013)