Work samples
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ER SurgeryPart of the Chin Musings series. Double chin trigger, first aid kit, neck brace posture supporter, Max MSP. Playing the part of a rushed doctor on TV. Putting first aid kit items into my mouth to trigger, through the movement of my chin, the theme song to the TV show "ER."
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Jerky CowboyPart of the Chewing Karaoke series. Chin trigger, neck brace posture supporter, wireless mouse, Max MSP, beef jerky. Eating a piece of beef jerky triggers, through chin movements, the midi score of the theme song from "The Magnificent 7."
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Do You Like Butter?Part of the Chin Musings series. Chin up bar with buttercup chin interface. The space bar on the keyboard in the planter is triggered by my chin, causing the computer to speak a syllable of the question "Do You Like Butter?" If I get to 5 chin ups, the computer will tell me "No, You Don't Like Butter." If I can't get to five chin ups, the computer will tell me "Yes, You Like Butter." Based on the children's game of holding a buttercup under the chin and looking for a yellow reflection to see if their friend likes butter. I put the buttercups on the chin up bar and let my body weight help answer the question.
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Ballpark ThanksPart of the Chewing Karaoke series. Chin trigger, neck brace posture supporter, hot dog. Eating a hotdog from a stand. Each chew triggers note-by-note the midi score of The National Anthem. Some chews go intentionally unregistered as I am not a professional hot dog eater and did not want to risk swallowing large chunks that went unchewed.
About B.W.
Baltimore City - Highlandtown A&E District
Born in Washington, DC. BA in Philosophy and Psychology. MA in Teaching English. MFA Candidate in Intermedia and Digital Arts (IMDA) at UMBC. Current Work - Chin Musings: Exploring chin interfaces and performative chewing. Previously fronted the band Presto Bando. Wrote and performed in two "ballets." Working on a novel about parking and shopping.
Jump to a project:
Chin Music
Exploring chin interfaces that don't use chewing as the trigger.
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Do You Like Butter?Part of the Chin Musings series. Chin up bar with buttercup chin interface. The space bar on the keyboard in the planter is triggered by my chin, causing the computer to speak a syllable of the question "Do You Like Butter?" If I get to 5 chin ups, the computer will tell me "No, You Don't Like Butter." If I can't get to five chin ups, the computer will tell me "Yes, You Like Butter." Based on the children's game of holding a buttercup under the chin and looking for a yellow reflection to see if their friend likes butter. I put the buttercups on the chin up bar and let my body weight help answer the question.
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ER SurgeryPart of the Chin Musings series. Double chin trigger, first aid kit, neck brace posture supporter, Max MSP. Playing the part of a rushed doctor on TV. Putting first aid kit items into my mouth to trigger, through the movement of my chin, the theme song to the TV show "ER."
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Rocky ChinboxingPart of the Chin Musings series. Chin switch, posture support neck brace, desktop punching bag, Max MSP. I practice taking it on the chin while triggering the midi score of "Gonna Fly Now" from the film "Rocky."
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Chin Up Stress RelieverPart of the Chin Musings series. A contraption that can be wheeled around and handed off to friends or coworkers. Step into it and stretch your neck out, get that chin up, and remember life could be worse. Chin trigger hidden in neck pain reliever hung on IV stand. Pushing chin out and raising it up causes trigger to click, playing through cut up audio (beat by beat) of "Chin Up" from the film "Charlotte's Web."
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Campfire ViolinPart of the Chin Musings series. Cut out violin, hibachi grill, s'mores sterno, wireless mouse, skewer bow, marshmallows, Max MSP. Portable campfire violin marshmallow roaster. Plays "Kumbaya" through a wireless mouse trigger hidden under the chin rest. Good for indoor/outdoor parties or even in the office break room for group bonding.
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Chin Plate Donut CakePart of the Chin Musings series. Balancing a donut on a plate on my chin. Built a skirt around the column to catch any accidents. Vertical keyboard for practicing playing "Happy Birthday" when I get better at it.
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Campfire Violin DisplayHow Campfire Violin was recently displayed.
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Rocky Chinboxing Video DisplayHow the Rocky Chinboxing video was recently displayed.
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ER Surgery Video DisplayHow the ER Surgery video was recently displayed.
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Chin Plate Donut Cake Photo DisplayHow the Chin Plate Donut Cake photo was recently displayed.
Chewing Karaoke
Exploring performative chewing. Each chew triggers a note or beat in a midi score. For snack breaks at work to build self esteem pretending to be somebody while gaining glucose to avoid decision fatigue through performative chewing. Chew through a jingle to make the food taste like it looked in the advertising.
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Jerky CowboyPart of the Chewing Karaoke series. Chin trigger, neck brace posture supporter, wireless mouse, Max MSP, beef jerky. Eating a piece of beef jerky triggers, through chin movements, the midi score of the theme song from "The Magnificent 7."
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Ballpark ThanksPart of the Chewing Karaoke series. Chin trigger, neck brace posture supporter, hot dog. Eating a hotdog from a stand. Each chew triggers note-by-note the midi score of The National Anthem. Some chews go intentionally unregistered as I am not a professional hot dog eater and did not want to risk swallowing large chunks that went unchewed.
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Take Five MouthpiecePart of the Chewing Karaoke series. Alto Sax, Take Five candy bar, chin trigger, neck brace posture supporter, wireless mouse, Max MSP. As I eat the Take Five bar, which is where the saxophone mouthpiece is supposed to be, I trigger through the movement of my chin the midi score of "Take Five." The trigger is hidden under my "jazz musician" scarf.
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I'm Lovin' It - ChewedPart of the Chewing Karaoke series. McDonald's breakfast biscuit, chin trigger, neck brace posture supporter, Max MSP. Chewing through McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It" jingle as I eat a breakfast biscuit. Each chew causes my chin to trigger a switch hidden just out of camera that acts as a left-click in Max MSP, which then plays through the midi score of the jingle note-by-note.
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GrapevinePart of the Chewing Karaoke series. Raisins, chin trigger, neck brace posture supporter. I eat a box of raisins and each chew plays through the midi score of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." Construction worker comes straight from the California Raisins commercials that taught us raisins are masculine.
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Alto Sax with Take 5 Candy Bar MouthpieceAlto Sax with Take 5 candy bar mouthpiece used in Take Five Mouthpiece video.