The “Echo Coats”

The “Echo Coats” are sound-driven, nostalgically designed garments that provide a means for women to playfully and sonically intervene in public spaces. The Andante Coat teases the world around its wearer by uttering sensual cosmetic titles, originally meant to tempt her own purchasing power. And at the attack of a boot heel on the pavement, the Staccato Coat releases machine sounds from its shoulders to urge people to get out of her way.

The technology of the coats integrates mini-speakers, headset microphones and iPods. The iPods run RjDj, a reactive music application that combines live environmental sound through the headset microphone and sound programming within the iPod. The coats then employ these mikes as touch sensors and sound detectors to inspire playback. Also here, mini-speakers embedded in the exterior of the coats have replaced the headphones to make this previously personal now public.

About Tesia Kosmalski

Tesia Kosmalski is an artist fascinated with the physicality of sound and its relation to culture and wearable technologies. Born in Minneapolis MN, she recently completed her MFA in Electronic Visualization at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Upon completion of the MFA, she transplanted to Brooklyn NY, where her work has since been showcased at the Electronics Space “Resistor”, as well as in the streets and train stations of New York City. Most recently, the documentation of the Echo Coat Series was exhibited at the Pure Data Conference in Weimar, Germany.