Victoria Estok and Steve Lambert, Uncommon Ground. Photo: Christine A. Butler courtesy of Eyebeam.
Uncommon Ground is a sound installation created in collaboration by Steve Lambert and Victoria Estok. Using stethoscopes against a five by five foot planter box, people can hear the plants commentary, discussions, and inner thoughts – which are normally inaudible to human beings.
The plants are voiced by comedians and neighbors, including; Reggie Watts, James Bewley, Cathleen Carr, Maria Del Piano, Courtney Robinson, Jonathan Shahn, Steve Trevelise, Kenya Robinson, Stefanie Connell, Maya Connell, and Larry Bogad.
A think tank on creative activism led by Stephen Duncombe and Steve Lambert, a program of Eyebeam's Summer School 2009
Summer School is an annual workshop and public presentation series designed to encourage the creative use technologies for personal expression, activism, communication, and community involvement. The College of Tactical Culture was established within this context to create an opportunity for creative activists to get together within a focused period of time to discuss ideas and develop strategies.
The College of Tactical Culture (CTC) examined questions such as:
Scott Kildall is a cross-disciplinary artist working with video, installation, prints, sculpture and performance. He gathers material from the public realm as the crux of his artwork in the form of interventions into various concepts of space.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Philosophy from Brown University and a Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago through the Art & Technology Studies Department. He has exhibited his work internationally in galleries and museums. He has received fellowships and awards from organizations including the Kala Art Institute, The Banff Centre for the Arts, and Turbulence.org.
Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese have collaborated together as Ligorano/Reese since the early 80’s. They use collaboration to blend diverse talents into a singular voice and vision. They use unusual materials and industrial processes to make their limited edition multiples, videos, sculptures and installations, moving easily from dish towels, underwear, and snow globes, to electronic art and computer controlled interactive installations. Many of their sculptures and installations reinterpret and reexamine older forms of technology—using objects that signify truth, authority and manifest cultural historicity.
In 2001, they launched www.pureproductsusa.com, the online retail website for their infamous political art series the Pure Products of America. They are best selling editions at Printed Matter, artbook@ps1 and the New Museum store and have prompted, at least on one occasion, the RNC to threaten them with copyright infringement.
Diana Eng is a fashion designer who specializes in technology, math, and science. Her designs range from inflatable clothing to fashions inspired by the mechanical engineering of biomimetics. In 2005, she was a designer on Season Two of the Emmy nominated hit TV show, Project Runway. She won Yahoo Hack Day in 2006 along with her two-team mates for designing and creating a blogging purse in less than 24 hours. She has worked as an assistant designer in research and development at Victoria’s Secret. She is the author of Fashion Geek: Clothes, Accessories, Tech. Her work has been featured in exhibits both in the U.S.
JUNE 16, 2009 8PM – Midnight EYEBEAM, 540 W. 21ST ST., NYC
PARTICIPATION REQUIRED: On June 16, 8 – 12AM join the creative process with glam cocktails, tasty food, deadly “big-yard” music, and a preview of the latest in art and technology. The Eyebeam Benefit is your chance to meet our all-star cast of contemporary artists and creative technologists, hob-knob with other like-minded creatives in our unique warehouse venue, and contribute to one of the most innovative art centers in North America, and arguably the most original in the world. All proceeds benefit Eyebeam educational programming, residencies and fellowships.
