With Open Eyes:Images from the
Art Institute of Chicago
With Open Eyes:
Voyager has the right idea with their new interactive art exploration CD-ROM With Open Eyes--the idea being that titles pitched ostensibly to children, as this one is, should ideally hold some appeal for adults as well, as this one does. Not only are parents likely to be the ones making the purchase decision--particularly with programs such as this--but thoughtful parents are also on the lookout for products that will awaken and excite their children's understanding and enjoyment of the wider world of culture around them.
With Open Eyes: Images from the Art Institute of Chicago is a thoughtful, fun, and completely absorbing introduction to the world of visual art. The cover blurb promises: "Great art for kids (and their grownups!)" As a parent, I would be thrilled to see my six-year-old spend an hour exploring With Open Eyes instead of a passive hour in front of that "other" glowing monitor--you know, the "non" interactive one. And frankly, I think she would prefer it too. There's only one snag--she'll have to drag me away from the computer first.
Packed with photographs of over 200 images, including paintings, sculpture, folk art, pottery, photographs, carvings and much more, With Open Eyes functions cleanly and easily from one main interface. The objet d'art under consideration occupies the center of the screen. You move from one image to the next by clicking on a pointing hand. Tools surrounding the image allow you to explore the artwork in a number of ways. A magnifying glass will increase the size of the image and give you a chance to view selected portions of it close-up.
On my SVGA monitor, the close-ups are often quite stunning. Van Gogh's characteristic impasto, for instance, looks almost as though he's been slopping it directly on my computer screen. A click on a spinning globe will show you where in the world the artwork is from, or you can choose to look at selected art from a particular country. Click on a ruler marked "Size" and the artwork is placed in a gallery with people standing near it, so you can get a sense of its dimensions in human terms. A pair of lips, when activated, narrates a brief speech about the image and the artist. A timeline is provided that allows you to search for art from a particular historical period--or to place the image you're viewing into its proper historical period.
One feature that will probably appeal to youngsters more than adults is the ability to assemble an on-screen scrapbook with your favorite images in it. For users who would rather watch and listen without running the show themselves, there is a couch potato tool (it's actually a potato sitting on a couch) that, when activated, will run the program for you at the speed you determine.
Audio narration is provided as each image comes up on screen. Much of the narration is factual--about the artwork in question--while much is playful and used more to set the tone of the experience for the user. Some of the narration is handled by children, and music plays a part in setting the mood as well. Users are often asked by the narrator to think about the things they are seeing and learning. With one image, for instance (Van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles), the narrator prompts, "This was the artist Van Gogh's bedroom. Does it seem restful or restless to you?" These kinds of questions, along with plenty of others that address the artists' intent and the viewers' interpretations, provide an added dimension of imaginative involvement that should be enjoyed by children and welcomed by parents.
For PC: 486SX/33 or higher processor, 640x480, 256-color display, 8 MB RAM, MPC2-compatible CD-ROM drive and sound card with speakers or headphones, Windows 3.1
For MAC: Any color Macintosh (25-MHz 68030 or better recommended), System 7.0, 13" (640x480 resolution) or larger display, at least 8 MB RAM installed (5,000K free), double-speed CD-ROM drive
