Modern Day Leonardos

The Kufi cubes are now on display at Chicago's Muesum of Science and Industry until September 4, 2006. One part of the current exhibit, Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Artist, Genius, called "Modern Day Leonardos," features work by contemporary scientists, artists, and inventors. Among them is our own Ben Nicholson and several of our cubes.


Exhibit information

Website UP!

Our website, part of my duty as archivist last semester, is finally up, though buggy and under construction.


Mordecai

Website Update

Juan and I have been putting together the website. Whereas this blog serves as a means to communicate with each other during production, we would like to use the website to archive and document what we will have done with this project as a whole--photos, background, movie clips, and related information. Everyone's been good about uploading to Myron files, but if there's anything you'd like to have on the site let juan or i know or just make sure it's uploaded.

Thanks
Mordecai

Cube Transporation

Marilyn and Paul both have large vans, so between the two of them, we will be able to easily transport all of the cubes to Lake Forest. Thanks for your help!

Lighting

Here is a message from Lake Forest about lighting. Please email me at csay@ iit.edu if you have any suggestions.

I'm glad you mentioned lighting because we also
discussed that today. We can do one of three things:
either light the first rendition of your form (though
there will be little time for that if you're
installing mid-afternoon on the day of the opening),
do our best to create a diffuse light, or dramatically
light an area, like the center of the room. Let us
know your preference. As for changing the lighting
with each change, that is really not an option since
lighting is, believe it or not, quite time consuming
and besides requires ladders to be hauled out each
time.

Digital Modeling

Digital model of exhibition space is close to completion thanks to Petre, and I have the digital version of the cubes. The next step would be to decide on a method of creating some sort of user interface where the viewer could play with the blocks and produce their own arrangements. Thomas Kearns said he could show us how to figure this out, although we should meet with him later on today or before the week ends.

I'm curious as to what kind of organization we'll use in order to allow for the person to produce all possible arrangements within the interface. Most arrangements are produced within an orthogonal grid, however circular and non-orthogonal rotation walls are the exception. The most logical solution would seem to organize choices according to connections of color, faces, or maybe even edges, and not to a predefined arrangement (i.e. wall, column, black line always turns right, pixilation, spiral, etc....) therefore an outcome could not be predicted. Also, what is our role in displaying possible configurations without influencing the outcome?

Choice for next iteration: Cube rotation based on a Cube Catalog?

Cube rotation: person would choose from two different cubes (direction left, direction right), drag it into the field, and rotate on the spot.

Cube catalog: Based on forty-eight or ninety-six variations on the cube. Not for the viewer, yet basis from which rotations occur.
The module we are using allows for two different 2 dimensional tiles, with a total of eight configurations according to rotations of 90 degrees. With the same principle, the module as a cube has four different expressions: direction left, direction right, and inverting the color of these two previous cubes. Since a cube has six faces and each face has four different configurations, this means that a single cube can have up to twenty-four different configurations; four cubes would have ninety-six different configurations. I haven’t tested to see if the same cube with the colors inverted produces different results. Should this be the case we might be able to omit half of the cubes and end with forty-eight possible configurations.

Questions to resolve:
Program and method best capable of producing this interface?
Organization of cube catalog?
Options other than the orthogonal grid?
How to display non-orthogonal patterns in an orthogonal grid?
Does inversing color produce different results?
How to display arrangements without leading the person into predetermined solutions.

Thoughts and suggestions would be great. Juan

Production Begins!

The production team meet today at 12:00, cleaned up concrete for an hour and started on the the cubes.

Members present included: myself, jerrod, paul, sandeep, cory, melissa, alicia, bridget, anna, heike, and nicolas. Slow getting started, pushed freshman of the saws and didn't relinquish until
eight or nine. After a couple of hours of work, production stopped from a snag. The lull in the work let people get some food. Cory and Paul fixed one saw, then proceeded to work there for the next five or six hours, they developed some crazy synergy, I'll post some pics and video on myron files. Others developed a system at the two other machines where one person would operate the machine, and another one or two would assist. They rotated the work so that in the end they knew the whole process. Nicolas, who arived after the system had developed, unententionly interupted this rotational work system, Jerrod explained this to Nicolas.

At the end of the day 60% of the mitering remains, it is a task that we can come in periodically and do without the group meeting. Since Cory and Paul stayed at the one machine all day they didn't know about the mitering, I explained this (the process) to Paul; Cory ran the remained few to learn.

Finishes Testing

April, Andy, and I had a conversation Friday after the concrete crit about how the Finishes and Production teams would need to cooperate.
April, Taylor, Candace, Alex, and I met on Sat afternoon to discuss the Paper/Stain/Paint options. We re-calculated the cost of the materials, and realized the Paper option is $500 over budget. We decided to test varieties of paint washes and stains as these materials come in well under budget.
Sunday, April and Candace tested 3 finishes:
black stain from Jim
red water-based stain
red paint wash
They found the black stain Jim brought in to be the best in application.
I tested lacquer and gloss polyurethane finishes on the 3 options, and it seems that the lacquer is shinier than the polyurethane. (It also reeks less!)

Our inclination is to go with the black stain and lacquer finish. All those in favor of red: Don't worry, this is still not the final decision, as we need input form MJ. All samples are in Crown Hall- anyone can check them out- just ask one of us on the Finishing Team.

Curator's Statement

When constructed in 1892, the Henry C. Durand Art Institute, a Richardsonian Romanesque building designed by prominent Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb, was intended to provide the residents of Lake Forest, Illinois with a venue for works lent by the Art Institute of Chicago. Its intent, however, was never realized and the building was soon given to Lake Forest College, after which it housed the English Department. At its front entrance, which is oriented toward the town, stone owls perched upon paint palettes flank the doorway, for it was the building’s original function to combine education and the display of art.
This purpose was restored in 1981, when the newly renovated Durand Art Institute became the home of the art and philosophy departments. In addition to the creation of studio and classroom space, the most significant change to the building was the opening of the south entrance, with its large glass arch and doorway, integrating the building further with the campus community. With this exhibition, we hope to convey that although this facility is primarily used by Lake Forest College, its doors facing both directions suggest that it is still a community resource.
Because of its unique history and architecture, we would like to bring the visitor’s attention to the building itself, the subject of this exhibition. As its title, Durand: Amorphous Solid, suggests, this fortress-like building continues to be shaped and altered by the artwork displayed within it, as well as by its history and the people who pass through it.
Throughout our class, we have explored the history contemporary exhibition practices, and are interested in presenting work that directly engages the viewer while encouraging exploration of the building. In a way, this site is the antithesis of the “white cube,” the sterile exhibition space that has, in recent decades, become the norm for the display of artwork. Through their installations, the featured artists encourage a critical look at the space and identity of this building.
As curators, we are excited about the opportunity for the visitor to have a direct encounter with the art as well as a fresh perspective on this historic space.



Students of
Art 350: Museum/Gallery Practicum
Lake Forest College
November 2005

Pictures

Hey everyone,
There are pictures on Myron files from Lake Forest and the space we are working in.
If you need anything else from Lake Forest, please let me know.
Thanks,
Candace Say

PRODUCTION TEAM

Friday November 4

Production team developed process.

Members present: Andy, Jerrod, Charles, Anna, Nicolas, Pete, Sandeep, Melissa, and Paul

We talked about the process that I thought would happen and pros / cons of each step and decided to try two on test plywood.

Jerrod or I would setup each machine and perform the initial cuts. The multiple runs were then preformed my Charles, Pete, Jerrod and a couple others. Paul joined the group latter and his observations lead to changing a step in the process. Anna and Pete asked most of the questions. Jerrod was helpful in explaining / answering.

Blog Setup

Please post your notes on any progress.....
Thanks