VideoMob: Connecting Strangers Through Inclusive Digital Crowds

The Concept

VideoMob is an interactive art installation that explores how technology can create connections between strangers. The installation captures video of individual participants and composites them into a shared digital crowd — a visual mob where people who may never have met appear side by side, moving and interacting within the same virtual space.

The work grew out of my interest in the intersection of art, technology, and social interaction. I was fascinated by the idea that a digital system could manufacture a sense of togetherness — creating crowds that are inclusive by design, where anyone who participates becomes part of the collective portrait regardless of when or where they contributed.

How It Works

Participants interact with the installation individually, and their video is processed and integrated into a growing digital crowd. The system creates composite visuals that blend recordings of different people into a single scene, giving the impression of a shared physical space. The crowd grows over time as more participants engage, creating an evolving, inclusive representation of all the individuals who have been part of the experience.

The installation was designed to be accessible and inviting, requiring no special technical knowledge from participants. The simplicity of the interaction — just being present in front of a camera — contrasts with the complex visual composition happening behind the scenes.

My Contribution

I was a core member of the team that designed and built VideoMob, contributing to both the technical video processing pipeline and the interaction design of the installation. The work spanned several years, evolving through multiple iterations and exhibition contexts from 2013 through 2019.

Publication

Team

Emily Grenader, Danilo Gasques, Ph.D., Fernando da Silva Nos, Nadir Weibel, Ph.D.