Twenty121

Twenty121 is a creative cooperative that combines individual practices in furniture making, sonification, fashion design, electronics, ceramics, programming, photography, carpentry, multimedia, and perceptual psychology to produce interactive artworks. Their works that include ZiZi the Affectionate Couch, Scruffy Scallyrag and Fauxy the Fake Fur with Feelings have been curated and exhibited at Experimenta House of Tomorrow Australian National Tour 2004, Media City Seoul Biennalle 2005, Under the Radar at FACT in Liverpool and the ICA in London 2006, WearNow Symposium at the National Museum of Australia 2007, and Who Let the Dogs Out : the Dog in Contemporary Australian Art in 2008.

Zizi the affectionate couch

Zizi is a couch that supports you not only physically but also emotionally.

She is a mixture of a shaved poodle, a fluffy cat and an exotic sea slug. Zizi growls when sat upon, purrs when touched and groans with delight when you stroke her fur. If left alone, she mews for attention. Inspired by the fluffy flight deck on board Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy’s space-ship, Zizi the affectionate couch is an experiment in human computer interface, making a move away from the screen and mouse based interactives that are the dominant paradigm in media art works.

ZiZi's reactions are triggered by motion sensors that activate nine vibrating audio devices to simulate purring. Digital signal processing and behavioural algorithms determine her responses.