Gestus is a moving image processing framework that uses computer vision techniques to explore the artistic possibilities of the vector as a symbolic form. It consists of a custom software that generates a vector analysis of the movements of videos in a database, identifying sequences that contain similar micro-movements and rendering them side by side. This setup encourages viewers to pay close attention to the two images, trying to identify the similarities between them. An interactive interface enables users to access specific sections of a video and explore related sequences.
Whereas our experience of the cinema is normally directed towards people, objects, and events, Gestus encourages spectators to pay close attention to movement as an end in itself. Gestus cues the viewer to engage in an active process of visual thinking, comparing the two images in an effort to identify the similarities between them. The viewer’s gaze becomes restless as it scans simultaneous images. Sometimes, she easily detects similarities but in other cases the movements are very subtle and occur in different areas of a crowded image. The system invites, challenges, and sometimes frustrates the spectator’s cognitive-perceptual skills.