Written By: Vince Baarson
A true art viewer has an experience with a composition of any kind as long as it holds interest. Art is progressing into an interactive space where the composition arrives in human interactivity. I saw this happen at a gallery reception I and other classmates participated in at The Art Institute of California – Hollywood. The exhibition reception, Digital Eclectic, took place on May 19th, 2011 at 6PM in a gallery space of the first floor lobby. The space is small and intimate allowing the viewer to get close and experience the compositions curated by Terry Bailey, the director of the web design and interactive media program at the school.
The gallery was arranged around a central piece named “Analog Light Board.” A series of self-contained boxes, hang on a wall with industrial lights shining directly on them. Magic occurs when the viewer steps in between the industrial lights and the boxes, they come alive emitting red light and electrical buzzing sounds. Once the light graces the boxes, after the viewer passes, the light and sound ceases. It was a creation by the students of the Sound Design class taught by Michael Winter. Justin Walker, Misty Traslavina, Iddie Tang, Tanya Serrano and I along with instructor Winter developed this piece to show people that interactive art isn’t only a digital medium. The Analog Light Board is composed of six small boxes each containing an analog circuit created by extensive trial and error process. Through meticulously sautered connections and delicate hand made covers this piece came to life. The composition stands in a central booth behind a curtain in the gallery, surrounded by other compositions exhibiting the ability of an artist to create in a digital atmosphere. Chad, a gallery visitor referring to the interactive aspect of the piece exclaimed, “I had no clue that you could dance with art!”
Two digital paintings by director and curator Bailey explore how painting is accomplished on a computer rather than on canvas. She also displayed her first interactive novel, “Amy Beach and Me", a comparison of the mysteries in her own life with those of the first woman composer Amy Beach. As I explored around the last freestanding wall in the gallery I found a window into the world of procedural art. A piece by instructor and animator Ari Danesh “takes math equations and generates images, and animation.” Via this process of creation he developed a village scene complete with trees, bridges, fences and roads. His artist statement reads, “Branches are just a tree trunk scaled down an rotated. The twigs are just branches scaled down and rotated.”
This exhibition is informative, imaginative and, best of all, interactive. With excitement buzzing in the air and a heavy heart, the clock struck 8 PM and the reception came to an end. I encourage a visit to the Digital Eclectic exhibition, have a meaningful experience with technology and see the possibilities our imaginations hold.
The Art Institute of California – Hollywood Gallery is located in the NOHO Arts District at 5250 Lankershim Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601. For more information please call 1-818-299-5100.
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