With an exhibition as widely accessible as Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle, we knew that we wanted to do a web-based project that would engage as broad of an audience as possible. The idea of doing a photobooth-type installation had been in on my for quite a while (I had actually wanted to put out a video booth to capture visitor comments at our opening two years ago, but had too many other things going on to put it together), and Bespoke seemed like the perfect opportunity.
So the Moving Paper cut animation website has been running for a few weeks now. This project represents something of a milestone for MAD in that we were able to build a fairly sophisticated video-sharing and social-networking site in about three weeks with a budget that was basically non-existent. For many years, the tools required to create projects like moving paper were simply out of reach for most organizations, let alone most non-profits and cultural organizations. I am pleased to say that this is now not the case, and it is even true that you don’t need to be a serious programmer in order to take advantage of some of the resources that are out there.
In two weeks, we start what is hopefully the first of many film series done in cooperation with the Museum of the Moving Image (full details here. We’ve been offering various programs in the theater, including films, for 9 months now, but this will be the first time we’ve used our pair of 35mm projectors for a full program. So, I’ve spent much of the past few days helping to get these machines ready for use.
Back to Renshape
The gi joe painting of last week was fun for me but uninspiring to watch. For this reason I have switched back to making the organized, analog made odes to modernism/constructivism. Organization through small sculpture that cannot be achieved in actual life (no matter how hard I try). Small scale Utopian visions, made to order.
This one should be done and painted by this time next week.
May 26th, 2009
christian.swafford
We are all very excited with the completion of a project that has been in the works for over two years: the online database! You can access it from our main website: click on “see” and then “search the collection” to search and find out more about the artwork in our collection. This is what you will see, in a striking interface designed by Pentagram:
Database homepage
Almost the entire collection is online. You can do keyword searches, for example to find out if your favorite artist is in our collection. You can also do advanced searches to search by all kinds of criteria, such as the artist’s nationality, or the material used, or the date of the artwork.
Who knew there were this many Finnish artists in the collection?
We also have a “zoomify” feature that allows you to see the works in the collection close up, additional images that allow you to see a piece from all sides, and a glossary feature that gives you the opportunity to learn more about materials and techniques.
Look at Therese Agnew's quilt close up!
We are continuing to add more info, including statements about the objects, biographies for the artists, and videos showing interviews and techniques. Modesty aside, we feel this is going to be one of the best museum databases out there. We are still in the process of revising it, so we welcome your feedback!
December 16th, 2008
JenScan
The Museum Tech series offers insight and instruction on making technology work for museums. This project has a difficulty rating of: no problem.
Last Saturday, Jessica in the Education Department arranged for Second Lives artist Long-Bin Chen to work in our sixth floor artist studios. The problem: Long-Bin carves phone books with a band saw, sanders and rotary tools, which produces more than a little bit of dust. The solution: three remotely-controlled web cameras driving two displays and a projector allowed the many visitors to see Long-Bin’s work close-up without having to wear the latest in desert fashion.
Long-Bin Chen at work in the MAD studios
This is a great project for a museum: it really can improve the visitor experience for certain types of projects, it looks really fancy, and it’s not that difficult to set up. (more…)
