a long time ago I was a professional animated
[Music]
[Music] and at night I would make my own
and at night I would make my own
and at night I would make my own experimental films and I was spending a
experimental films and I was spending a
experimental films and I was spending a lot of time way too much time in front
lot of time way too much time in front
lot of time way too much time in front of the screen for work that we will be
of the screen for work that we will be
of the screen for work that we will be presented on the screen I had this great
presented on the screen I had this great
presented on the screen I had this great need to get my fans back on the work
need to get my fans back on the work
need to get my fans back on the work together now before the Simpsons before
together now before the Simpsons before
together now before the Simpsons before Gumby before Betty Boop before there was
Gumby before Betty Boop before there was
Gumby before Betty Boop before there was such a thing as cinema and television
such a thing as cinema and television
such a thing as cinema and television animation was hugely popular in this
animation was hugely popular in this
animation was hugely popular in this form this is a zoetrope and you spin
form this is a zoetrope and you spin
form this is a zoetrope and you spin this drum and you look through the slits
this drum and you look through the slits
this drum and you look through the slits into the inside of the drum and you see
into the inside of the drum and you see
into the inside of the drum and you see the animation pop to life
the animation pop to life
the animation pop to life this is animation in physical form and
this is animation in physical form and
this is animation in physical form and it’s animation that could get my hands
it’s animation that could get my hands
it’s animation that could get my hands on again I took these ideas to Denmark I
on again I took these ideas to Denmark I
on again I took these ideas to Denmark I went there with my family on a Fulbright
went there with my family on a Fulbright
went there with my family on a Fulbright fellowship it’s my daughter Mia and I
fellowship it’s my daughter Mia and I
fellowship it’s my daughter Mia and I rode around the city on my bicycle and
rode around the city on my bicycle and
rode around the city on my bicycle and shot all the interesting moving elements
shot all the interesting moving elements
shot all the interesting moving elements of Copenhagen the boaters in the canals
of Copenhagen the boaters in the canals
of Copenhagen the boaters in the canals the colors that explode in spring the
the colors that explode in spring the
the colors that explode in spring the free youth city bikes love textures the
free youth city bikes love textures the
free youth city bikes love textures the healthy cuisine and I brought all that
healthy cuisine and I brought all that
healthy cuisine and I brought all that video back into the physical world by
video back into the physical world by
video back into the physical world by printing it out on these long strips of
printing it out on these long strips of
printing it out on these long strips of inkjet paper and cutting out the forms
inkjet paper and cutting out the forms
inkjet paper and cutting out the forms now I invented my own form of the
now I invented my own form of the
now I invented my own form of the zoetrope which remove the drum and
zoetrope which remove the drum and
zoetrope which remove the drum and replaced the slits with a video camera
replaced the slits with a video camera
replaced the slits with a video camera and this was very exciting for me
and this was very exciting for me
and this was very exciting for me because it meant that I could make these
because it meant that I could make these
because it meant that I could make these physical objects and I could make films
physical objects and I could make films
physical objects and I could make films from those objects
that’s me riding on my bicycle I made
that’s me riding on my bicycle I made about 25 paper sculptures each the size
about 25 paper sculptures each the size
about 25 paper sculptures each the size of the bicycle wheel
of the bicycle wheel
of the bicycle wheel and I brought them into the studio spun
and I brought them into the studio spun
and I brought them into the studio spun them and shot them to make the film
them and shot them to make the film
them and shot them to make the film Copenhagen cycles now this project not
Copenhagen cycles now this project not
Copenhagen cycles now this project not only allowed me to get my hands back on
only allowed me to get my hands back on
only allowed me to get my hands back on the work again but it helped me get my
the work again but it helped me get my
the work again but it helped me get my life back instead of spending 1215 hours
life back instead of spending 1215 hours
life back instead of spending 1215 hours a day with my face blaster to a screen I
a day with my face blaster to a screen I
a day with my face blaster to a screen I was having these little adventures with
was having these little adventures with
was having these little adventures with our new family and shooting video along
our new family and shooting video along
our new family and shooting video along the way and it was kind of a symbiosis
the way and it was kind of a symbiosis
the way and it was kind of a symbiosis of art and life and I think that it’s no
of art and life and I think that it’s no
of art and life and I think that it’s no mistake that zoetrope translates into a
mistake that zoetrope translates into a
mistake that zoetrope translates into a wheel of life
wheel of life
wheel of life [Music]
[Music]
[Music] but film and video does flatten
but film and video does flatten
but film and video does flatten sculpture so I tried to imagine a way
sculpture so I tried to imagine a way
sculpture so I tried to imagine a way that animated sculpture could be
that animated sculpture could be
that animated sculpture could be experienced as such and also a
experienced as such and also a
experienced as such and also a completely immersive kind of animated
completely immersive kind of animated
completely immersive kind of animated sculpture and that’s where I came up
sculpture and that’s where I came up
sculpture and that’s where I came up with the idea for the zoetrope tunnel
with the idea for the zoetrope tunnel
with the idea for the zoetrope tunnel you walk through with a handheld strobe
you walk through with a handheld strobe
you walk through with a handheld strobe and wherever you point the flashlight
and wherever you point the flashlight
and wherever you point the flashlight the animation pops to life I plan to
the animation pops to life I plan to
the animation pops to life I plan to finish this project in the next 30 to 40
finish this project in the next 30 to 40
finish this project in the next 30 to 40 years but I did build a half scale
years but I did build a half scale
years but I did build a half scale prototype it’s covered in Velcro and I
prototype it’s covered in Velcro and I
prototype it’s covered in Velcro and I could lay inside on this bridge and
could lay inside on this bridge and
could lay inside on this bridge and stick animated sequences to the walls
stick animated sequences to the walls
stick animated sequences to the walls and test stuff out people would comment
and test stuff out people would comment
and test stuff out people would comment that it reminded them of an MRI and that
that it reminded them of an MRI and that
that it reminded them of an MRI and that that medical connection spoke to me
that medical connection spoke to me
that medical connection spoke to me because at the age of 14 I was diagnosed
because at the age of 14 I was diagnosed
because at the age of 14 I was diagnosed with a degenerative retinal condition
with a degenerative retinal condition
with a degenerative retinal condition that’s slowly taking my vision away and
that’s slowly taking my vision away and
that’s slowly taking my vision away and I had never responded to that in my work
I had never responded to that in my work
I had never responded to that in my work so I responded to it this piece called
so I responded to it this piece called
so I responded to it this piece called implant
implant
implant it is an imaginary super magnified
it is an imaginary super magnified
it is an imaginary super magnified medical device that fits around the
medical device that fits around the
medical device that fits around the optic nerve and the public is in a sense
optic nerve and the public is in a sense
optic nerve and the public is in a sense miniaturised to experience it
with a handheld stroke that can explore
with a handheld stroke that can explore the sculpture and discover thousands of
the sculpture and discover thousands of
the sculpture and discover thousands of cell size robots hard at work leaping in
cell size robots hard at work leaping in
cell size robots hard at work leaping in and out of the optic nerve being
and out of the optic nerve being
and out of the optic nerve being deployed to the retina to repair it’s my
deployed to the retina to repair it’s my
deployed to the retina to repair it’s my science fiction/fantasy cure for my own
science fiction/fantasy cure for my own
science fiction/fantasy cure for my own image ergo disorder now in the real
image ergo disorder now in the real
image ergo disorder now in the real world gene therapy and gene therapy
world gene therapy and gene therapy
world gene therapy and gene therapy research healthy genes are being
research healthy genes are being
research healthy genes are being administered to unhealthy cells using
administered to unhealthy cells using
administered to unhealthy cells using viruses there’s a lot of colorful fluffy
viruses there’s a lot of colorful fluffy
viruses there’s a lot of colorful fluffy hope in this and there’s also some
hope in this and there’s also some
hope in this and there’s also some creepy threatening idea of viruses maybe
creepy threatening idea of viruses maybe
creepy threatening idea of viruses maybe becoming an invasive species in your
becoming an invasive species in your
becoming an invasive species in your body now vision loss has helped to take
body now vision loss has helped to take
body now vision loss has helped to take me away from the things that disconnect
me away from the things that disconnect
me away from the things that disconnect me from the world instead of being
me from the world instead of being
me from the world instead of being sealed off in an automobile I ride my
sealed off in an automobile I ride my
sealed off in an automobile I ride my bike take buses and trains and walk a
bike take buses and trains and walk a
bike take buses and trains and walk a lot and instead of a visually intensive
lot and instead of a visually intensive
lot and instead of a visually intensive process in the studio primarily I am
process in the studio primarily I am
process in the studio primarily I am also getting outdoors a lot more and
also getting outdoors a lot more and
also getting outdoors a lot more and using more of my senses this landscape
using more of my senses this landscape
using more of my senses this landscape is a couple hours east of San Diego
is a couple hours east of San Diego
is a couple hours east of San Diego California my brother lives out that way
California my brother lives out that way
California my brother lives out that way he and I went camping there for four
he and I went camping there for four
he and I went camping there for four days and I grabbed my camera and I
days and I grabbed my camera and I
days and I grabbed my camera and I walked through the canyons and I tried
walked through the canyons and I tried
walked through the canyons and I tried to imagine and figure out what kind of
to imagine and figure out what kind of
to imagine and figure out what kind of motion would be present in this place
motion would be present in this place
motion would be present in this place that was so still and so devoid of
that was so still and so devoid of
that was so still and so devoid of motion I think it’s the still this place
motion I think it’s the still this place
motion I think it’s the still this place I’ve ever been and I realized that it
I’ve ever been and I realized that it
I’ve ever been and I realized that it was the movement of my own body through
was the movement of my own body through
was the movement of my own body through the landscape that was creating the
the landscape that was creating the
the landscape that was creating the animation it was the motion of changing
animation it was the motion of changing
animation it was the motion of changing perspective so I created this piece
perspective so I created this piece
perspective so I created this piece called mud caves from those photographs
called mud caves from those photographs
called mud caves from those photographs it’s a multi-layered
it’s a multi-layered
it’s a multi-layered print piece and you can think of it as a
print piece and you can think of it as a
print piece and you can think of it as a zoetrope laid flat it’s kind of my
zoetrope laid flat it’s kind of my
zoetrope laid flat it’s kind of my western landscape panorama
western landscape panorama
western landscape panorama and next to the print piece there’s a
and next to the print piece there’s a
and next to the print piece there’s a video monitor that shows the animation
video monitor that shows the animation
video monitor that shows the animation hidden within the artwork I think one of
hidden within the artwork I think one of
hidden within the artwork I think one of the best parts about this project for me
the best parts about this project for me
the best parts about this project for me was that I got to hang out with my
was that I got to hang out with my
was that I got to hang out with my brother a lot he lives 2,500 miles away
brother a lot he lives 2,500 miles away
brother a lot he lives 2,500 miles away from me and we would just sit in this
from me and we would just sit in this
from me and we would just sit in this seemingly eternal landscape sculpted by
seemingly eternal landscape sculpted by
seemingly eternal landscape sculpted by water over millions of years and talked
water over millions of years and talked
water over millions of years and talked we talked about our kids growing up and
we talked about our kids growing up and
we talked about our kids growing up and the slowing pace of our parents and our
the slowing pace of our parents and our
the slowing pace of our parents and our dad who’s suffering from leukemia memory
dad who’s suffering from leukemia memory
dad who’s suffering from leukemia memory loss and infection and it struck me that
loss and infection and it struck me that
loss and infection and it struck me that as individuals were finite but as a
as individuals were finite but as a
as individuals were finite but as a family we are an ongoing cycle a kind of
family we are an ongoing cycle a kind of
family we are an ongoing cycle a kind of Wheel of Life now I want to leave you
Wheel of Life now I want to leave you
Wheel of Life now I want to leave you with a tribute to one of my mentors she
with a tribute to one of my mentors she
with a tribute to one of my mentors she reminds me that physical presence is
reminds me that physical presence is
reminds me that physical presence is important and that play is not a luxury
important and that play is not a luxury
important and that play is not a luxury but a necessity
she’s pixie and she’s our family dog and
she’s pixie and she’s our family dog and she loves to jump and this is a new kind
she loves to jump and this is a new kind
she loves to jump and this is a new kind of zoetrope that I developed at the
of zoetrope that I developed at the
of zoetrope that I developed at the Imaging Research Center at UMBC in
Imaging Research Center at UMBC in
Imaging Research Center at UMBC in Baltimore and I call it a real times
Baltimore and I call it a real times
Baltimore and I call it a real times okay thank you
okay thank you
okay thank you [Applause]
”
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