Topics for discussion

 

I realise that there is more here than can be covered in one meeting, but hopefully we can meet again.

• MA Show Exhibit 2016
• Ideas for Meaningful and Distinctive Art deploying Virtual and Augmented Reality
• PhD or Fellowship/Residency following MA

 

MA Show Exhibit 2016

    

Metamorphosis

 

Ideas for Meaningful and Distinctive Art deploying Virtual and Augmented Reality

 

• Focus to develop ideas – Tate Exchange, Feb/March 2017 and MA Show, July 2017

 

• Technologies I want to experiment with:

 

1. 3D Virtual Reality Painting – ideas we discussed last year have been realised in recent software – Google Tilt Brush using the Vive Virtual Reality Exhibit live painting experience, and displaying an example using a ‘Google Cardboard’ Virtual Reality headset.
2. Augmented Reality, using Microsoft Hololens – dancing figure recording at Double Me/Ravensbourne. Displaying this on the Hololens and a Holographic Display.
3. Making another foundry bronze by 3D printing in castable resin of myself from a Veronica Scan (as recently exhibited at the Royal Academy). What type of face should I make?
4. I want to use some of my current work and these works for my MA show but need to follow a theme. Any suggestions as to a theme?

 

Spiral Paintings – Aurelie Freoua | AR Hololens – Double Me | VR 3D Painting – Tilt Brush

Tilt Brush in action with Vive | Hololens Augmented Reality  | Holographic Display – Holus+

 

• Practice based PhD

 

A Practice based PhD would allow me to follow my interest and possible solution for: ‘the conservation of digital art installations for our cultural heritage’. See my Research Paper:

https://terencemquinn91.org/2016/10/05/research-paper-digital-to-physical-made-to-last-will-functioning-digital-art-be-part-of-our-future-cultural-heritage/

I have attended recent PhD events at CSM, and had intended to go to one at Chelsea but missed it due to illness. I have enquired at the Royal Academy of Art.

My issue is that I think that this topic is more in need of practice than theory. However, the practice spans art and science. I am not sure where I could find a suitable supervising Professor.

I believe it may be possible to create a system that can record a functioning digital art installation in one technical environment. This would avoid the alternative of preserving each unique digital art installation. Over decades, conserving individual installations would involve the impossible task of preserving multiplicities of hardware and software, as well as needing experts who understand all the current and legacy (unsupported) systems involved, and how they interact.

Only one system would need to be maintained and updated This would involve, artist interviews to record the artist’s intent, and recording the art installation in its functioning environment.

I envisage a modular ‘Digital Art Conservation System’ employing augmented or virtual reality, together with a sub-system that captures a sample of any external or Internet interactions employed in the art installation (this has been done before, except the attempt was to capture the entire content of the Internet). It may help that I was once a professional systems analyst/designer. Perhaps I could get the V&A or the Tate involved?

I recognise that this is not preserving the exact digital art installation in its original form and context for posterity. The alternative is a ‘Digital Gap’ where in the very long term it will not be possible to view the art of this ‘digital age’, alongside a Van Gogh painting or a Rodin sculpture. The digital art of a whole generation will be lost forever.

My proposal could be the next best thing. Or is it ‘Pie in the Sky’ thinking, and not a suitable PhD topic?

 

• A Foundry Fellowship or Residency

 

The alternative is to make art, and not systems and theory for a PhD. I have a leaning towards this. Chelsea are interested.