Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Pulse Spiral

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Exhibition Card depicting installation view.


Rafael Lozano-Hemmer has paid a visit to SCAD Savannah's Pei Ling Chan Gallery, located on Martin Luther Kind Blvd!  The work is Pulse Spiral, which is an interesting joining of technology and the human experience.

There are many installation pieces that focus on technology, and how people interact with it, but this is certainly one of the more successful pieces I have seen in a long time.  To describe it a bit, one first enters the gallery's main reception room, and then must immediately enter through the curtain pictured here.


The initial response upon entering the curtain is far more breathtaking.

The spiral is, as Hemmer states on his own site, that the spiral is "a three-dimensional spiral paraboloid made up of 400 lightbulbs arranged according to Fermat's equations".  Of course, one can easlily look up what Fermat's equation is, but to understand it, or even to look at the right one, is a different matter.  Hemmer describes it by saying that the equation is "...an efficient spatial distribution along a surface which is found in plant phyllotaxis (arrangement of leaves and cells in roots for example)."  This is a far more concise way of explaining the concept, rather than stating the actual equation, here.  For those math nerds out there, like myself, check out Wiki's entry on Fermat's spiral.

 The construction of the piece seems utterly complicated, perhaps even as complicated as the mathematics and programming that went into it.  The bulbs are each individually hung, and attached to cables which penetrate four steel sheets on the ceiling.  If one looks up, they can see the cables coursing from the steel plates to a back room, which, when I peeked around the corner, were all plugged into a massive motherboard on the wall.  (I was obviously not allowed to photograph this, sorry!!).  Here rested the brain behind the machine, a vast, interconnected series of plugs and computer bits.  It really looked like a feat to hook up. 

However complicated, what the spiral actually does is record heartbeats.  Essentially, this is how it works:  First, the participant (whoever is in the gallery) takes hold of the specialized monitor, which look like handles.



Then, one holds on to it, until the entire piece goes dim.  When this happens, the single bulb on the bottom begins to pulse, presumably, at the pace of one's own heartbeat.

Then, the piece lights up a second bulb, which I was told is actually the heartbeat of the prior participant.

The piece then begins to light up in a spiral, until the whole thing is alight once more.





The experience is definitely phenomenal.  I even had the chance to lay beneath it while the process started up, and of course, I tried it myself!




Aside from being truly beautiful to look at and watch, I thoroughly enjoyed the interesting aspect of the human machine connection.  Many a time, it seems that artists focus simply on what machines do, or how machines are bad for people, etc.  Rarely is there work that focuses on human and machine (HCI, anyone?) interaction.  Hemmer certainly knows how to put the two together to create one beautiful whole. 

To see a video of the piece, and professional photographs, click here!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Google's Art Project hits the Interwebs! Streetview Technology Now Brings Art From Across The Globe!

Art Project is a recent undertaking by the "Google Giant" in an attempt to accrue images from the worlds galleries and bring them right into your home!

With a  definite good start, Google now has images from "17 of the worlds most prominent galleries"  During an interview with Philip Kennicot for the Washington Post, Google is hoping to bring the world's art to your doorstep.  With the same satellite technology and imagery tool used for street view, Google is now offering its users a chance to see major works, with their hair-line cracks and all!

This new and exciting technology really is redefining the possibilities.   through all the muck the internet can sometimes burden its users with, there are genuine gems that are truly helping to expand the world's knowledge base, if only by sheer ease of access.  This is certainly an amazing opportunity for anyone and everyone!

For the original link to the Washington Post article, which I highly recommend reading all the way through, click here.

For the link to Google's Art Project, click here.

Sci-Fi-O-Rama Interviews Dan McPharlin!!

Dan McPharlin, the cover artist for Pretty Lights and quite noteworthy sci-fi artist, is interviewed by Sci-Fi-O-Rama!  In the interview, McPharlin lets on to some painting tricks, and reveals his musical and artistic influences.

Throughout the duration of this interview, it became rather obvious that the questions were more process and influence geared.   Though the interview is short and sweet, with a grand total of eight questions and eight responses, McPharlin sheds some light on various things that influence his visionary work. 

In response to a question asked about his biggest influences, he lists both visual artists and musicians alike.  He states that, "The artwork that is the most exciting to me was what I grew up with; lavish paperback covers, record sleeves and game boxes by Roger Dean, illustrated speculative fiction like the Terran Trade series, art books published by Dragon’s Dream, Paper Tiger..." Later, in response to a question on his favorite artist, McPhalin divulges on which artists are of particular interest at the moment.  He explains that"..the work of Polish artist Zdzislaw Beksinski..." is of particualr interest because of his ability to create atmosphere.  He lists a few others, but it is clear that he focuses on these particualr people more out of respect for their technique as well at their exceptional ability to create successful alternate environments.

For the link to the original interview with Sci-Fi-O-Rama, click here.