Hot or Not

Interactive Light Sculpture, 2010

Hot or Not is an interactive light sculpture that detects whether a viewer is 'hot' or 'not.' When no one is present the digital sign cycles through a default pattern, trying to catch the attention of someone passing by. Once someone stops in front of it, their hotness (or 'notness') is detected and displayed back to them.

The sculpture was both inspired by and made in reaction to the hotness-ranking website hotornot.com. The physical manifestation of the "ranking device" is designed to exist in a public environment, where receiving a message of 'hot' or 'not' has the potential to both embarrass and satisfy viewers in front of others. The fact that the determination is random points to the absurdity and subjectivity of beauty standards in our judgement of each other.

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