My MFA Experience Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of The
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My MFA Experience Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Fine Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Axel Cuevas Santamaría Graduate Program in Art The Ohio State University 2018 Master’s Examination Committee: Ken Rinaldo, Adviser Amy Youngs Alex Oliszewski Copyright by Axel Cuevas Santamaría 2018 Abstract This MFA thesis explores the threshold of phenomenological perception, audience attention and the mystery of imaginary worlds I perceive between microscopic and macroscopic dimensions. In the BioArt projects and digital immersive environments I present in this thesis, I have found the potential to explore real and imaginary landscapes. This exploration further expands, adding new physical and virtual layers to my work that activate the audience. My work incorporates the synthesis of projection mapping, biological living systems and interactive multimedia. It is the vehicle I use to contemplate the impermanence of time and the illusion of reality. i Dedication To the inspiring artists, dancers, doctors, musicians, philosophers, scientists, and friends I crossed paths with during my MFA at The Ohio State University Ken Rinaldo, Amy Youngs, Alex Oliszewski, Norah Zuniga Shaw, Michael Mercil, Ann Hamilton, Trademark Gunderson, Dr. Sarah Iles Johnston, Dani Opossum Restack, Todd Slaughter, Jason Slot, Roger Beebe, George Rush, Kurt Hentschlager, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Theresa Schubert, Andrew Adamatzky, Andrew Frueh, Nate Gorgen, Federico Cuatlacuatl, Florence Gouvrit Montoyo, Tess Elliot, Jessica Ann, Cameron Sharp, Kyle Downs, Sa'dia Rehman, Ph.D. Jose Orlando Combita-Heredia, Pelham Johnston, Lynn Kim, Jacklyn Brickman, Mel Mark, Ashlee Daniels Taylor, James D. MacDonald III, Katie Coughlin, Elaine Buss, Max Fletcher, Alicia Little, Eun Young Cho, Morteza Khakshoor, Catelyn Mailloux, Niko Dimitrijevic, Jeff Hazelden, Natalia Sanchez, Terry Hanlon, Travis Casper, Caitlin Waters, Joey Pigg. ii Vita 2009 ...................................................................................B.A. with Major in Arts UAEM, Mexico 2015 - 2018 ........................................................................Graduate Teaching Associate, The Ohio State University Awards 2017 Curator’s Choice Award 2017 Digital Graffiti Arts Festival, Alys Beach Florida. Exhibitions and Screenings 2018 EVA18 Politics of the Machine, Copenhagen, Denmark, May 15 – 17 Digital Arts Biennale Hybrid Languages, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, March 26 - April 26 2018 Digital Arts Biennale Hybrid Languages, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, February 05 - March 18 2018 Immersive Film Festival, Espinho Planetarium, Portugal, December 1st - 3rd 2017 DigiEYE, Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus OH USA, March 8th 2017, March 21st 2018 Fields of study Major field: Art iii Table of Contents Abstract..........................................................................................................................................i Dedication.....................................................................................................................................ii Vita................................................................................................................................................iii List of figures................................................................................................................................v Chapter 1: first_contact...............................................................................................................1 Chapter 2: Protoplasmic routes...................................................................................................5 The complete voice-over text for Protoplasmic routes...................................................18 Chapter 3: Microbial skins.........................................................................................................22 Chapter 4: Shavasana Dome.....................................................................................................25 Chapter 5: Stillness....................................................................................................................29 Poems for Stillness.........................................................................................................41 The audio synthesis process for Stillness.......................................................................47 Chapter 6: Artists and inspirations............................................................................................51 Bibliography ...............................................................................................................................61 Appendix A: BioPresence Exhibition Review: The New York Arts Magazine.............................63 iv List of figures Figure 1.1: first_contact audiovisual installation during Does this Work for Everyone? Exhibition, Hopkins Hall Gallery, February 2016..........................................................................................................................1 Figure 1.2: Axel Cuevas Santamaría at first_contact audiovisual installation during BioPresence Exhibition, Hopkins Hall Gallery, December 2015.......................................................................................2 Figure 1.3: Max/MSP & Jitter patch developed for first_contact BioArt project.........................................3 Figure 1.4: Axel Cuevas Santamaría and Ph.D. Jose Orlando Combita-Heredia analyzing microscopic particles of Physarum polycephalum. Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University............................................................................................................................4 Figure 2.1: A colony of Physarum polycephalum growing inside an acrylic maze placed on a Petri dish..5 Figure 2.2: Audience interacting with Protoplasmic routes audiovisual installation during Hybrid Languages: Digital Art Biennale Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. February 05 – March 18, 2018.............................6 Figure 2.3: Audience interacting with Protoplasmic routes audiovisual installation during Hybrid Languages: Digital Art Biennale Belo Horizonte, Brasil. March 26 – April 26, 2018...................................7 Figure 2.4: Axel Cuevas Santamaría placing acrylic mazes inside Petri dishes and making Agar-based medium with Jason Slot at The Plant Pathology Department, The Ohio State University..........................8 Figure 2.5: Protoplasmic routes "Curator's choice award" audiovisual installation during Digital Graffiti Arts Festival, Alys Beach, Florida. May 19 - 21, 2016................................................................................9 Figure 2.6: Slime mold Physarum polycephalum growing inside-out from the center of a multicursal maze inside a Petri dish previously prepared with an Agar-based medium........................................................10 Figure 2.7: Axel Cuevas Santamaría looking at a digital print on metal of slime mold Physarum polycephalum jumping the borders of a multicursal maze. From the series: Protoplasmic routes digital prints..........................................................................................................................................................11 Figure 2.8: A circular evolutionary tree shows diversification of species from their common ancestor. The evolutionary paths taken to arrive at present day slime molds and humans is traced in orange, having diverged approximately one billion years ago................................................................................13 Figure 2.9: Slime mold Physarum polycephalum jumping the borders of a multicursal maze. From the series: Protoplasmic routes digital prints...................................................................................................14 v Figure 2.10: Axel Cuevas Santamaría installing Protoplasmic routes for Relative to You Exhibition Sherman Arts Center, Columbus OH, USA. August 22nd, 2016..............................................................16 Figure 2.11: Protoplasmic routes audiovisual installation during Relative to You Exhibition Sherman Arts Center, Columbus OH, USA. August 22nd, 2016..............................................................17 Figure 3.1: Maria Palazzi interacting with Microbial mirror during ACCAD's Annual Open House Exhibition 2016...........................................................................................................................................................22 Figure 3.2: Ashlee Daniels-Taylor, MFA in Dance performing for 360 Skin, from the series Microbial skins...........................................................................................................................................................23 Figure 3.3: Mel Mark and Ashlee Daniels-Taylor performing for 360 Skin, from the series Microbial skins...........................................................................................................................................................24 Figure 4.1: Audience experiencing Shavasana dome during Filter Bubble Exhibition December 7-9 2016, Hopkins Hall gallery, Columbus OH Photo: Jordan K Reynolds................................................................25 Figure 4.2: Audience experiencing Liquid Flow