The New Media Public Art Collective’s unique artistic niche is at the nexus of Art and Technology. We have used this merging of disciplines to create public art across the US and internationally. Through placemaking, our mission is to evolve locations into interactive, compelling destinations that artistically engage passers-by through their senses. We target public art calls to artists that provide an opportunity for us to accomplish what our art/engineering/architecture team does best. Our team includes a Ph.D. public art sculptor (Stephen Fairfield) , two artist/architects (Chris Lasch, Benjamin Aranda), a Ph.D. artist/electrical engineer (Patrick Marcus), a public space planner/industrial designer (Emily Taylor), an animation/special effects/video artist (Ellery Connell), and a concrete sculptor (T.J. Dreier). Our team shares a common goal – to advance placemaking public art into a synergy between the original artists/creators, the art, and passers-by of all socio-economic backgrounds.
The New Media Public Art Collective’s goal is to develop beautiful interactive public art that relates to the existing physical and social aspects of the site where it is located. Our installations are more than just static physical forms; they are active and they engage viewer participation. By viewing and interacting with them one participates in a dynamic experience that blends opportunities for artistic curiosity, participant engagement, as well as exploration of the local environment with a potential outcome for social interaction as well.
We create both monumental interactive new media sculptural installations and static sculptures. Our new media installations combine beautiful organic forms with technology through the incorporation of computer-driven light shows. Our robust electronic technology, both grid powered and solar powered, has been proven and tested in multiple installations to endure the test of time and climatic conditions for up to 10 years. The installations are beautiful by day through the use of form in gleaming stainless steel, contrasting oxidized steel, colorful acrylics and other media, and at night through the display of colorful light shows. Motion sensors trigger the electronics’ open source software in response to passers-by. Active viewers become empowered participants as they create their own dynamic, moving, changing light patterns, colors and frequencies through directly influencing the sculpture’s electronics. This sends the large number of RGB light emitting diodes (LEDs) into high activity mode displaying a myriad of colors, patterns and frequencies. Holographic diffraction materials on sculpture surfaces may be used to create beautiful spectral color shifts.