"Through the digits, through the fingers": Variations on the string figure as imaginary digital medium

Area of Science:

• Media Studies
• Anthropology
• Art History

Background:

• String figures, documented since 1888, became a model for exploring communication technologies.
• Western artists and writers used string figures to examine anxieties and dreams surrounding embodied and networked communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze artistic engagements with string figure performance and collection as "imaginary" articulations of digital media.
• To explore how string figures serve as a repository for dreams about digital communication.

Main Methods:

• Media-archeological lens applied to historical string figure fascination.
• Case studies including Harry Smith's films, Vera Frenkel's video performance, and the Museum of Jurassic Technology's exhibit.

Main Results:

• Artistic projects reveal string figures as a historical medium for contemplating communication technologies.
• String figure fascination reflects evolving dreams and anxieties about digital and networked communication.

Conclusions:

• The study suggests that examining string figures can expand conceptions of digitality and media.
• String figures offer a unique perspective on the history and future of communication technologies.