Rotoscopic Machines
Montreal Science Centre
From April 30th, 2005 to March 1st, 2006
For the first time, as part of an exhibit on rotation, Groupe Molior presents a new work by robotic artist Bill Vorn. Rotoscopic Machines will be showing at the Montréal Science Centre from April 30th, 2005 to March 2006 as part of the X-treme Rotation exhibit.
Rotoscopic Machines is an interactive robotic installation produced for the Montreal Science Centre. It is composed of five revolving robotic arms suspended from the ceiling that react to the presence of viewers. At the end of each arm is a pan-tilt camera that transmits video images of the robot’s point of view. This piece was conceived to illustrate different principles related to the theme of the exhibition at the Science Centre: Extreme Rotation.
Andrée Duchaine
Andrée Duchaine has worked in the visual arts area since several years. From 1974 to 1984 she was involved in setting up the video section at Vehicule Art Gallery and organized and curated VIDEO 84, the first international video encounters in Montreal. Mrs Duchaine curated several video art exhibitions in Europe, the United States and Canada. Between 1985 and 1995 she settled in Paris where she founded a short film distribution company. She worked with T.V. channels across the world.
Andrée Duchaine taught at Paris VIII, at the Université du Québec à Montréal and at the Ottawa University. In 2001 she founded a non-profit company Le Groupe Molior producing, curating and disseminating new media works.
Artist & work
Bill Vorn
Rotoscopic Machines
2005
Robotic installation
Description of the work
Rotoscopic Machines is an interactive robotic installation produced for the Montreal Science Centre. It is composed of five revolving robotic arms suspended from the ceiling that react to the presence of viewers. At the end of each arm is a pan-tilt camera that transmits video images of the robot’s point of view. This piece was conceived to illustrate different principles related to the theme of the exhibition at the Science Centre: Extreme Rotation.
Biography
Bill Vorn is working in the field of Robotic Art since 1992. His installation projects involve robotics and motion control, sound, lighting, video and cybernetic processes. He pursues research on Artificial Life (and Death) and Agent Technologies through artistic work based on the “Aesthetics of Artificial Behaviors”. He received a Ph.D. degree in Communication Studies from UQAM (Montreal) for his thesis on “Artificial Life as a Media”. He teaches Electronic Arts in the Department of Studio Arts at Concordia University where he is responsible of the A-Lab, a Robotic Art research lab. He is also Scientific Director at the Hexagram Institute. His work has been presented in many international events, including Ars Electronica, ISEA, DEAF, Sonar, Art Futura, EMAF and Artec. He has been awarded the Life 2.0 award (1999, Madrid), the Leprecon Award for Interactivity (1998, New York), the Prix Ars Electronica Distinction award (1996, Linz) and the International Digital Media Award (1996, Toronto). He has worked in collaboration with many canadian artists (including Edouard Lock, Robert Lepage, Gilles Maheu, Monty Cantsin and François Girard).
