In the multi-faceted world of digital imaging the ability to connect on a visceral level with an audience is becoming a main concern of any production. Often we hear the phrase, "It jumped out of the screen" when hearing someone recall a spectacular scene from a film. Although this is usually just a figure of speech, artist Julia Tsao wants to anchor this statement in reality. Her project, "Curious Displays" is a projection-based artwork that transforms a physical living room space into a dynamic environment where "pixel-based" creatures take over the scene. Each piece of the display takes the shape of a 1/2 inch color block that moves independently but is aware of the position of other blocks and can dynamically reconfigure itself based on the ultimate goal or position they are programmed to deliver, such as becoming a television screen. In Tsao's video scenario, the blocks begin their conquest as a meandering pack of multi-colored pixels moving slowly across the apartment floor.
Jonah Brucker-Cohen