University Art Gallery Explores Computer-Generated Art in ‘Digital Media Now’

Opening Reception Set for Feb. 21

Cal Poly’s University Art Gallery, in conjunction with the Computer Science Department, will exhibit computer-generated artwork created by graduate students from Cal Poly, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. Titled “Digital Media Now,” the exhibit will open with a reception at 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21, and will be displayed through March 14. 

The exhibit showcases the deepening connection between the arts and computer science, including pieces on data visualization, interactive work, autonomous robot drawings, circuit drawings, animation, a sound installation and a video installation.

“New technologies have changed contemporary culture and the arts,” said Jeff Van Kleeck, University Art Gallery coordinator. “Even though there is no escaping the technical challenges in computer art, we still value art by the strength of the concept and the vision, as well as the craft.” 

The exhibition features the work of Ian Dunn, Chris Wallis, Forrest Reiling, Sean Risser and Kevin Ubay-ubay from Cal Poly; Matthias Dorfelt and Gottfried Haider of UCLA; Jacob Garbe from UCSC; and Yoon Chung Han, Qian Liu and Sean Phillips from UCSB.

The University Art Gallery is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The gallery is located on the Cal Poly campus on the ground floor of the Dexter Art Building (No. 34).