Event 3 - Media Art Nexus

I recall coming to the spacious room at the Broad Art Center several weeks ago for Bill Fontana’s presentation Acoustical Visions. I enjoyed my time then, and I looked forward to yet another interesting presentation regarding the intersection of art and technology.

I Wish

Prof. Vesna was there to introduce the presenters Ina Conradi and Mark Chavez. The two have been working on various kinds of art and media projects over the last twenty years, from award-winning 3D short films to interactive digital art for a 15 x 2 meter, 8k-resolution screen that graces a hallway of the North Spine Plaza at the prestigious Nanyang Technology University in Singapore (“Media Art Nexus (MAN) NTU”). The latter is an ongoing project called Media Art Nexus, whose goal is to provide an international platform where science, technology, and art intersects to open new possibilities in artistic expression. The art portrayed on this gigantic and magnificent screen are eclectic—digital art, algorithmic art, generative art, interactive art, virtual art, music/sound visualization, etc. Clearly, this effort was made possible by a collaboration between art and technology, transforming art into an interdisciplinary medium of expression that educates, captivates, and inspires us every day (Whitaker). I especially liked Chavez’s “I Wish” feature, in which the wall would pull Twitter tweets that had “I wish” mentioned in them. It was an interesting glimpse into the big-picture desires of humankind, whether it’s deep or comical as in “I wish I could download food on the Internet.”

Elysian Fields

As my eyes were feasting on the various visuals featured on this media wall, I was also intrigued about Ina Conradi’s short films. Her short film “Elysian Fields,” which won an Oscar for Best Short Film, was inspiring for its incredible depiction of life and death through aerial combat and a pilot trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding him. It accomplished this in an immersive studio setting, where the audience members were surrounded by long curved screens on which the movie was projected. What touched me was the film’s gripping backstory (“About the Film”). Her father fought in World War II, and she made this to pay homage to his legacy and his valiant efforts in the battlefield.

I believe that great art not only conveys meaning but also stirs emotions to its viewers. Conradi’s latest film “Chrysalis” was just that, whose story is about a butterfly struggling to evolve and featuring a Zen-like atmosphere with strong Buddhist overtones. I couldn’t imagine hand-drawing some of the animations, as some appeared to be complex fractals, while others are incredible sequences of abstract flourishes and dynamic ambiance. The riveting, complex imagery made me feel as if I was looking into the visual manifestation of the very recesses of a turbulent mind. I could see myself in the monk’s shoes, appearing calm and collected on the outside but fighting an inner war for survival on the inside, to overcome the ego. In other words, I was blown away; I do hope people get to come to this event one day to appreciate how art is interconnected to various disciplines.

Selfie

Text Sources:

“About the Film.” Elysian Fields, www.elysianfieldsfilm.com/#about.

“Media Art Nexus (MAN) NTU.” Media Art Nexus, mediaartnexus.com/media-art-nexus-man-ntu/.

Whitaker, Rodney. “The Relationship Between Art and Technology.” People.clarkson.edu, people.clarkson.edu/~whitakrj/The_Relationship_Between_art_and_technology.html.

Image Sources:

Kim, John. “Elysian Fields.” 8 Jun 2018. JPEG file.

Kim, John. “I Wish.” 8 Jun 2018. JPEG file.

Kim, John. “Selfie.” 8 Jun 2018. JPEG file.