Internet of Things Bootcamp Graduates Host Tech-Inspired Art Show
CNM is excited to celebrate the opening of “Prototype,” an art exhibition in the City of Albuquerque’s Gallery One that features tech-infused pieces created by two cohorts of artists who have gone through CNM Ingenuity’s Internet of Things (IoT) bootcamp.
This exhibit is part of CNM Ingenuity’s ongoing partnership with the City of Albuquerque’s Rail Trail project, the Department of Public Arts, and the Department of Technology and Innovation.
“This exhibit really gives you a sense of the almost endless ways artists can interpret using technology in their art,” says Sherri Brueggemann, the division manager for Public Art Urban Enhancement for the City of Albuquerque.
The overarching goal of the multi-agency partnership is to help artists find creative ways to incorporate technology into their medium. The art they create at the IoT bootcamps is also up for permanent installation on the Rail Trail, a 7-mile urban multi-use trail that will link Albuquerque's vibrant downtown area to nearby neighborhoods, cultural destinations, entertainment districts, mass transportation options, and the Rail Yards.
For Brian Rashap, the lead instructor of the IoT bootcamp, seeing the students explore their art in new ways is very rewarding.
“This partnership has proven to help local artists experience their art in new and different ways, which adds another level of diversity to the classroom,” he says.
That’s certainly true for IoT graduate and owner of Studio Chora, Emily Silva. She has her bachelor’s and master’s degree in architecture, but found the practice of architecture too restrictive. Now, she designs and fabricates sculptures, drawings, and visuals and decided to apply to the second cohort of IoT artists to help her expand her artistic practice.
Her Rail Trail prototype is a responsive light fixture with illuminating nodes that would highlight the presence of movement on the trail to help increase safety and walkability.
“I lived in New York for several years and what made me feel safer was knowing there were always eyes on the street, so I wanted to create something that would help people feel that way here in Albuquerque,” she explains. “My light fixtures will of course light the path, but they will also help people know if there is someone walking ahead of them, kind of like a reverse shadow.”
Adrian Pijon was part of the first cohort and the bootcamp helped
him more clearly understand how to use technology in his art.
“I was already working with art and technology, but my skills were kind of cobbled together from learning specific things for specific projects,” he explains. “The opportunity to take the IoT bootcamp and learn the foundational knowledge to bring all of those things together was really exciting and interesting to me and has continued to help me expand my practice.”
His project is called “Tree Chat” and it uses a circuit that reads electrical currents from plants and then creates a data visualization based on the readings. The data visualizations, which Adrian refers to as “plant dreams,” can range from imagery of lush forests and waterfalls to drought and wildfires depending on the data received from the plant.
Both Emily and Adrian are thankful for the chance to gain new skills at the IoT bootcamp and encourage any artist who is interested in creating public art to apply.
“When the applications open, just go for it,” Emily says. “This program is your chance to help make Albuquerque the city you want it to be, and that’s really special.”
“Prototype” will be on display in Gallery One from May 2 to June 7 and is free and open to the public. Gallery One is open from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located on the first floor of City Hall at 1 Civic Plaza NW.