Artists Statement 

WEARABLE EXPERIENCE in Public Space

Hats’ Dreams is a wearable art project by Sala Wong and Peter Williams. This piece explores the possibilities afforded by technology to merge our experiences of art, fashion and everyday life.

Hats’ Dreams (2004) is a celebration of every day life. Art, life, technology and fashion come up with a pair of dazzling hats. Nobody can take their eyes off of those who are wearing these remarkable chapeaus. The hats feature moving images – snapshots of city scenes and everyday life. We live in our experience, and our experiences reshape the way we perceive the world. Hats’ Dreams captures fragments of our surroundings. Those who encounter the wearers of Hats’ Dreams will see themselves on the hats. They become participants in an unedited, real-life performance – and are seen on the HEAD – in the HAT. The brims have pinholes through which cameras capture images from the outside world. These images are then fed to a custom display – distorted and merged with changing patterns on the surface of the hat for all to see.

Peter and Sala extend their special thanks to Yuet Wai Leung of SOMA Costume Design Ltd., Shiu Ming Lai, Joe Tsui and Carl Wong for their help in realizing this project for ISEA2004.

• Sala Wong (CA) & Peter Williams (CA) collaborate on electronic art projects. Both from Canada, they received MFA’s from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and are currently living in the United States. Together, they have exhibited internationally in Russia, Japan and Europe.

Full document (PDF) p. 124