Fragment.1207.0304.3 Created by Tim Borgmann, an independent artist from Wuppertal, Germany.
Purity Created by Jing Zhou from Monmouth University in the US.
Kashikokimono Created by Takahiro Hayakawa from Kyushu University in Japan.
Ask any digital artist, and he or she will say that one of the big advantages to using CG over traditional media is speed—in particular, the ability to create iterations and changes in a flash. So it seems rather ironic that the theme of this year’s SIGGRAPH Art Gallery is Slow Art. That is, until the meaning of the title is revealed. “‘Slow’ refers to the Slow movement. It advocates being more thoughtful about what you eat and how food is prepared. The movement encourages community and taking the time to enjoy something fundamental and good from a very broad perspective,” explains Stanford University’s Lina Yamaguchi, this year’s Art Gallery chair.
Since we commonly think of computers as speed enhancers and art as a platform for contemplation and commentary, Yamaguchi concluded that this concept would make an intriguing call for participation in which the Art Gallery is considered a venue for new media work. Furthermore, the title parallels with SIGGRAPH’s other conference themes, including Global Responsibility, Impact on Society, and Future History.
The committee received more than 400 submissions, with 64 accepted for the Slow Art and the Design & Computation exhibits. The works will be shown in one of four areas: Erosion, Hybrids, Rhythms, and Traversal. Yamaguchi describes these segments: “Erosion is a grouping that speaks to time, repetition, and natural processes, such as disintegration and entropy. Works in the Hybrid section contain objects that uniquely combine the old and new. Rhythms refer to patterns of time and the often-forgotten idea of play. Traversal inspires thoughts about journeys and our surroundings.”
Some images from this year’s gallery appear on these pages. —Karen Moltenbrey
Dark Days-New York Created by Gabriele Peters from the University of Applied Sciences
and Arts Dortmund in Germany.
Water Planet Created by Anna Ursyn from the University of Northern Colorado in the US.
Smoke Water Fire Created by Mark Stock from Mark Stock Studio in Newton Center, Massachusetts.
Fragment.0140.02b Created by Tim Borgmann, an independent artist from Wuppertal, Germany.