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Americana and Technology (2008)

Brief

Computational paintings of the American landscape before and after technology.

Description

Americana and Technology is a media installation that contrasts two popular depictions of the American landscape - in the 19th century Hudson River School painting movement and in contemporary science fiction cinema - to examine the stories that influence our beliefs about technology's effect on society.

The installation is composed of two large-scale prints (approximately 60" x 40") and two small computer screens. The prints are computational paintings - computer-generated compositions - that show the American landscape before and after technology. On the screens, a customized software program demonstrates the composition process - sampling textures from digital reproductions of Hudson River School paintings and still frames from science fiction films - slowly constructing the two printed landscapes and revealing the visual language and symbolism of these popular forms in the process.

Exhibition History

Digital Planet Earth at New York Hall of Science. New York City. Feb 2010.
Natural Selections at GreyLock Arts. Adams, Massachusetts. May 2010.
Design Cinema Conference. Istanbul, Turkey. November 2008.

Tags

Landscape, computational painting, science fiction, Hudson River School, Blade Runner, "The Oxbow", "Los Angeles, 2019", Thomas Cole, sublime, openFrameworks

Media

Flickr Set (research and work in progress)

Thesis Paper (PDF)