The art department’s Gaddis Geeslin Gallery will feature the artistic efforts of faculty members David Dawson and Taehee Kim from August 20th until September 13th.
Dawson is a professor of computer animation in the department. His work, which examines the correlation between video game technology and the art form of animation, includes several television screens displaying and explaining the animation of video game characters and games.
“The ability the viewer has to interact with my art work has always been a driving force for me to create,” Dawson said. “Creating animations that tell a viewer what a character is thinking makes playing a game a believable and fun experience.”
Dawson said that game developers and publishers base their projects on amazing graphics, which, in turn, has led to games being “as impressive as feature films.”
Dawson also explored the Nintendo Wii and the technology of its new controller. He said the controller takes the interactive ability of games to a new level, but this aspect is a challenge to animators because the player has so much control.
“As a game artist working on projects developed for this platform I have been asked to take a new perspective on the way I look at my work. The innovative technology and fresh approach has inspired me to be a part of this new and distinctive advance to game development,” Dawson said.
Taehee Kim joined the art department last year and teaches graphic design. Her work explores scientific technology as an art form.
“I investigate diverse physical phenomena and media and examine symbolic structures to express concepts of transcendence and spirituality in Buddhism,” Kim said. “On deep levels, I have observed the natural beauty, richness, and complexity of organic forms.”
Kim’s artwork includes a series of hanging and stationary displays inspired by the convergence between artistic and the scientific fields.
“Employing an interdisciplinary approach that includes art, science, and technology, I have expressed the spiritual meaning of Buddhist motifs and created a record of my own journey of understanding,” Kim said.