A group of artists from the University of Florida is taking a different approach on art, looking at it through the lens of how we spend most of our daily lives: In The Machine.
"It's really been interesting to explore how technology impacts both our daily lives and art in our experience of art and culture in general. So that's what we've really tried to achieve here with this gallery. There's a number of different exhibits that show how modern technologies have impact, and how we both create and experience art," creative technologist Austin Stanbury said.
The exhibit "In The Machine" opened at the 4Most Gallery on S.W. 6 Street in Gainesville's Innovation District. The joint exhibition is presented by Austin Stanbury, Ines Said, Chelsea Cantrell, and Aaron Karlson from UF's Digital Worlds Institute.
Through cyanotype, collage, 3D models, and extended reality applications, the artists explore what machines have done to us.
"Virtual reality has really created this open window into a space that is endless, existent and collaborative, and all of these different ways of creating all at the same time. So that's probably what I think is the most interesting part of the virtual reality aspects of my exhibit," lecturer in Digital Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida Digital World Institute Chelsea Cantrell said.
Cantrell shares that she does digital art and also traditional art. With her exhibit she says she wanted to Anna Atkins, who was a prominent figure in cyanotype photography, as well as honoring the virtual reality technology. Her display shows two pieces of visualization that are on opposite ends of the spectrum temporally.
"Humans have an innate desire to create. And so when we look at digital work in a gallery, we should look at it just like we're looking at the Mona Lisa, just like we're looking at any like Raphael or Bernini or anything like that. It's just a different medium. And I think what's great about this show in particular is it puts it all within context," lecturer in Digital Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida Digital World Institute Aaron Karlson said.
Karlson says with technology advancing he believes eventually people would be able to digitally sculpt and even get haptic feedback, so they would be sculpting and it would feel like clay, but it would be digital. He shares that he doesn't think technology will replace the physical aspect of art, but it would converge the best of both worlds.
Each display bridges the transition between modern and postmodern “modes” of technological art.
"The biggest takeaway from this experience is that emerging technologies offer entirely new avenues for artists, and we don't even know the amazing things that are coming down the line. So keep thinking creatively and keep using technology to do new and incredible things," Stanbury said.
Artists will host a closing show on Jan. 13 at 7:00 p.m.