INTERACTIONS

By Maja Korczyńska

INTERACTIONS is a 12×17 cm publication inspired by the instructional manuals often included with DVD video game packaging. Printed on slightly glossy, newsprint-style paper, it spans 34 pages. It draws upon the aesthetics of The Sims 2—its color palette, fonts, and icons—but transforms them into an entirely original system of interactions designed to reflect real-life situations and structures. The publication introduces definitions of interactions, explores the factors that influence their choices, and presents a taxonomy of custom interaction types, including Existential, Disgraceful, Scattered, Romantic, Tearful, Social, Transactional, Imaginative, and Virtual Interactions.

As part of the project, a Sim-like alter ego was created to explore identity through a system of traits: Emotional Intelligence, Hypercorrectness, Chauvinism, and Narcissism. Each trait was quantified on a scale from 0 to 10, with its intensity visualized through a Sims-inspired interface of colored points. This approach utilizes the mechanics of simulation games to delve into the relationships between virtual systems and real-life dynamics.

Author: Maja Korczyńska

First Edition
This publication was originally released in Polish for the 2023 International Art Festival “Interakcje,” held in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland.

Second Edition
English translation. Published by the Institute of Network Cultures, Amsterdam, 2024.

Download .pdf HERE