Three Rivers Arts Festival

The Art of Technology

24 May 2010 by Tim in Visual Arts

Part of Pittsburgh’s revival can be attributed to the emphasis that the city and its citizens have placed upon art and technology.  In addition to medicine and education, we have successfully made both art and technology thriving sectors of our economy and our culture.

In this spirit, the Pittsburgh Technology Council began in 1983 with the intention of expanding the wealth and success of Pittsburgh’s technology industry. Now with 1,422 member companies, it is safe to say that it has succeeded.

In 2008, the Council formed the Art & Technology Initiative in an effort to unite and cultivate these respective communities in the Pittsburgh region.  This union has made a notable impact across the city and will continue to do so by showcasing technology-themed art at the Festival this year. This will include gallery exhibits, interactive displays and performances featuring some of Pittsburgh’s leading artists and technological innovators.

David Edwards: Power Flower

The exhibits and performances may change the way we view art and technology, and help us to better realize the unlimited potential of each. Plus, they offer us some downright good times that are sure to benefit everyone’s Festival experience. Ranging from digital puppetry to interactive sculptures and robots, video installations, and an interactive exhibit requiring text messages from viewers.  Following are a few glimpses into what you will see on the visual arts side; we’ll cover performances in another post.

David Edwards’ 14′ tall sculpture made from 80% recycled aluminum takes the shape of a potted sunflower.  Its wind-powered spinning petals transform wind into energy using a micro wind turbine. In addition, there are flexible solar panels that collect energy for programmable LED lighting.  This exhibit and others can be seen at Point State Park.

Lori Hepner: @BarackObama, 7:26 PM May 12th from web (#1)

Other exhibits are based entirely on interaction between the patrons and the art. In an installation by Balam Soto, viewers control the projection of a digital image with a cube in their hands and the projection reacts to the movement of the cube made by the patrons.

As the height of the digital age continues to expand, Lori Hepner shows an interactive gallery installation requiring viewers to send tweets and texts to be used as the basis for the installation.  Each character from the text will be converted to binary code and displayed onto a spinning LED array.

These works and more can be seen at The Art of Technology Gallery, located on the third floor of the Trust Arts Education Center at 805-807 Liberty Avenue.