Albuquerque is now the most recent home to XYZT, an art exhibit by ARTECHOUSE that explores the combination of art and technology in an interactive way, allowing visitors to be an active part of the artistic process.
According to Tati, one of the founders of ARTECHOUSE and the managing director, the exhibit seeks to create a space where art and technology can blend together to reflect modern society. Employees at the ARTECHOUSE only go by their first names, she said.
Tati said one of the main reasons ARTECHOUSE was interested in coming to Albuquerque was because of rich art culture that Albuquerque has to offer. Additionally, New Mexico is one of the few states that has excellent graphic design and digital art programs, she said.
“ARTECHOUSE wanted to share the art and tech experience with students here in the hopes that we inspire them to create art using technology and empower them to showcase at ARTECHOUSE,” Tati said.
XYZT has been on display across the world for about the past six years. The installations at XYZT are designed and made by Adrien M. and Claire B., two French artists. All of the programs used to create the interactive exhibits were made by Adrien M. and Claire B., said Tati. The physical technology used at the exhibit consists of projectors, kinetic sensors, and motion depth cameras.
Leila Sonora, a University of New Mexico senior studying studio art and Chicano/Chicana Studies, attended ARTECHOUSE because of her interest in art. For Sonora, the most captivating thing was how sensors were used to allow visitors to interact with the installments, she said.
The exhibit gave visitors the opportunity to interact with the installments, making the experience much more personal, Sonora said. ARTECHOUSE is currently trying to get more UNM students involved at the exhibit.
“We have UNM students working with us as visitor experience representatives and we hope to have more UNM students as the summer progresses,” Tati said.
The exhibit explores natural phenomenons that occur in nature. The installment takes a growing tree, a swarm of bees, or a floating butterfly and changes them into an interactive technical and geometric art piece, utilizing light to create the ever changing images, Tati said.
Sonora said the use of augmented reality added an extra dimension to the exhibit. Being able to learn about the exhibit using a phone was interesting, she said. This kind of art exhibit allows for more exploration and fun, not just silent observation, Sonora said.
Sonora compared ARTECHOUSE to Meow Wolf, another interactive art exhibit that utilizes technology to create a personal and unique experience. These kinds of exhibits allow anyone and everyone to interact with them no matter their background, she said.
Tati said XYZT features 10 different installations and most of them cycle through four or five different modes. Two of the installations use touch screens and three of them respond to breath to manipulate the technology, Tati said.
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Overall ARTECHOUSE’s goal is to encourage attendees to learn more about art and technology. Viewers have the potential to make a connection between this new art medium and contemporary life, Tati said. This art form is particularly geared towards storytelling and creating a personalized experience.
“Ultimately it gives viewers a chance to be active participators in art and not just passive viewers,” Tati said.
XYZT at ARTECHOUSE will be open from now until October 21, 2018 everyday of the week except for Tuesdays.
Megan Holmen is a freelance news and culture reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com, culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @megan_holmen.
