“Paces” is an artistic approach to internalize the nature of play against society’s fixation on results and winning. Inspired by characteristics of long distance running, “Paces” takes the form of an interactive video game and film installation, involving creative elements of computer programming, data visualization, mechanical engineering, animation, documentary, etc. Through research and analysis of Carnegie Mellon University’s Varsity Cross Country Teams, the narrative of “Paces” extracts the motivations and allure within distance running by providing both a curated interpretation and physical implementation of the action. Viewers immerse themselves in a mediation of the routine activity while engaging with other participants during the display. In regard to society’s general attitude towards performance and competition, Paces provides a separate alleyway which repudiates the notion of winning, allowing for appreciation of the present experience instead of a goal-oriented experience.

Project by: Selina Lee (BFA ’20), Zeleena Kearney (ECE BME ’18), Alli Scibisz (ECE ’19), Rachel Reolfi (MechE EPP ’20), Vayda Farino (ChemE BME ’20), Abigail Levine (Mathematics ’20), Kate Reilly (Technical Writing and Marketing ’20), Brittney Sidwell (CS ’20), and Rachel Jones (Business ’20).