Class Artist Presentations

In SciFi Nightclub, presented by Radha and Emma, the viewer would be totally immersed in a show of light and color – a seemingly “otherworldly dimension” with the power to take one into another space and time. The ambient “virtual reality” atmosphere created by the programmed changing lights in works such as Hive and Matrix would be enough to draw any viewer in. Though they both work in the same medium, there is enough diversity in the artists’ approaches (a technologically-minded approach v. one with more organic influences) to make the show interesting. Living Computers was a show curated by Stephanie and Michelle, featuring the works of two sets of artists: Laurent Mignonneau and Christa Sommere with Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. I found Mignonneau and Sommere’s Pulse Park to be unlike anything I had ever seen – definitely the piece that made their exhibition. Its interactive nature would allow the viewer to not only relate to the work, but actually become one with it through the shared pulse of a heartbeat. The way it took on the identity of the viewer (if even for a short time) made interesting connections to the other scientific works – showing technology as something man-made, yet reflecting life. Another show sharing a common thread with Living Computers was Independence, proposed by Keri and Liz. Serafijn and Mantz were a good pairing – the digital to reality v. reality to digital was a strong dynamic in the show. Whether it was through Serafijn’s reflection of the people around him (translating human emotion through color), or Mantz reflection of the world around him (translating life into the digital), the show would be undeniably strong. Their use of traditional v. more interactive work was also a good balance, making for opportunities of varied reaction. Define Structure also offered some interesting dynamics, with the choice of artist and architectural firm. Erwin Redl and Asymptote Architecture would be an unlikely pairing, but the connection established by Elena and Kara made the show both fascinating and well-presented. The very modern and digitally minded approach was one facet, but their choice to play on interior and exterior was what set their proposed show apart conceptually. They focused on the literal presence of their artists work, taking into account art as not only pieces… but a whole. I loved the idea of a building as a piece in itself; one that can not only be looked at, but explored and experienced. Future Shock Love Sounds was brought to us by Keith and Renee, presenting us with a new twist: combining pure sound art with pure video art. Dan Deacon’s manipulated chaotic sounds and Danny Perez’s psychedelic videos would make for an exhibition all about experience, which is precisely the thing to draw people in. The way this work dominates the senses would capture and immerse the audience in the realm created by guitar pedal noises and intense imagery. Finally, we ended with Alayne and Kaitlin’s Mechanical Creations, a show featuring Ken Renaldo and Ken Feingold. Their proposed theme of artificial life uses work both scientific and witty, giving us a collection of mechanical works that emulate life. I give them a lot of credit in unifying talking heads with Siamese fighting fish and robotic arms; their choice to select artists that play with robotics was visually interesting and would make for some exciting discussion about the intersection of life and technology.