Pretty Ugly Type

Artist: Damion Valencia & Peter Clark
Medium: Hand Illustrated type, Paint Pen, Tachyon+ Dreamweapon, CRT Television

Damion designed multiple type options for the gallery promotion, which were then animated by Peter Clark. The videos also made an appearance at the gallery space, projected onto a large concrete wall at the entrance.

Twin Cathodes

Artist: Peter Clark
Medium: Unreal Engine 5, Meta-humans, Tachyons+ Dreamweapon, BPMC Modified MX-1, CRT

Like neighboring pixels, the digital twins we create for ourselves online show a more detailed picture of both our beautiful and ugly personality traits. These pieces were created using a virtually controlled avatar that was then glitched using digital software and analog video hardware. The final output was filmed on a cathode ray tube television.

Real Glitched / Polygon Firing

Artists: Liz Caputo & Peter Clark
Medium: Ceramic, Meshroom, Cinema 4D, Octane Renderer

Real Glitched - Caputo combined wheel throwing and hand building techniques to create a tangible representation of a computer glitch. Through the process of slicing and reconstructing what was originally a uniform wheel-thrown piece, the work aims to question the perceived or manufactured value of broken and mended objects.

Polygon Firing - What if a ceramic piece could be fired within digital software? How would the form distort as it loses elements of detail? A digital rendering was created by photo-scanning Caputo’s ceramic piece and then distorting the form in 3D software. The material was also modified in software to make it appear like heated clay in the process of firing.

Burdens We Bare / Cyclical Death / Cathode Glaze

Artists: Savannah Baker & Peter Clark
Medium: Ceramic, Meshroom, Cinema 4D, Octane Renderer, Tachyons+ Dreamweapon, CRT Television

Cyclical Death & Burdens We Bare - There are many beautiful fragile things in this world, often overlooked or underestimated for the immense strength that they posses, ourselves included. We hold a light within that can withstand. As humans we are guaranteed to face many hardships through out our lives that will make us simultaneously softer and stronger. The adornments on these objects are a form of protection, ego perhaps. A layer of toughness that acts as a shield. Thin petals, thin wings, beautiful bright colorful beings capable of more strength and resilience than one might think.

Cathode Glaze - What if ceramic pieces could be glazed with a cathode ray tube televisions? This work was created by 3D scanning Baker’s ceramic piece and then giving it a ‘synthetic glaze’ using analog video hardware. The process could be considered ugly, as the original ceramic sculpture loses detail during the scan, yet it can also be considered pretty based on the added color and animation.

Where the Country Meets the Burbs / Compartmentalizing Thought (Ketting Better)

Artist: Big Pauper
Medium: Circuit Bent Playstation 2

Big Pauper (Drew McIntyre) crafts works utilizing self hacked gaming hardware like the Dreamcast, Playstation 2 and Sega Saturn. The systems are physically modified to corrupt the graphics processing unit and often the sound engine. This process renders the hardware a canvas and each game a different color pallete to work from. The process gives rise to chance and presents unique opportunities to recontextualize found materials.

Big Pauper is a multimedia artist, sound designer and video toolmaker residing in Portland, OR.

Put Through, Through Put

Artist: Hasmood
Medium: Touch Designer, Resolume, Web Camera

Modular Performance

Artist: Justin Lawes

Justin performed several hours of live modular sounds that accompanied the gallery pieces. The soundscape was constantly evolving throughout the night, allowing gallery viewers to ease into conversation while enjoying the abstract progressions of Justin’s generative notation. Special thanks to Chad David, DJ Hi-C, and Murphy Welch for opening and closing out the night with some great dance music.

Credits

Curator: Peter Clark
Gallery: Mizaji Gallery
Artists: Big Pauper, Liz Caputo, Hasmood, Savannah Baker, Damion Valencia, Peter Clark
Gallery Production: Hasmood, Zach Dougherty
Music: Justin Lawes, Chad David, DJ Hi-C, Murphy Welch