Faculty: Adam Brown

www.isisconceptuallaboratory.com

Bio

Possessing an early background in engineering and a propensity toward the sciences, Adam Brown is an Intermedia artist with a concentration in electronic media. Emphasizing the similarities among seemingly disparate disciplines, his creative activity seeks to discover new forms and ideas resulting from interactions among science, technology, and art. More specifically, he is interested in the interface of humans with synthetic life and other forms of simulacra. The result of this practice blends digital media with physical materials that strive to make contributions to both art and science that he calls Symbiotic Media

Brown’s most recent work in collaboration with scientist Dr. Andrew Fagg titled Bion, makes reference to an individual element of primordial biological energy identified as “orgone” by the scientist Wilhelm Reich. The interactive installation is a sensor network composed of more then one thousand, mass-produced, 3-dimensional glowing and chirping forms called bions. Each bion, a small synthetic “life-form,” fitted with custom electronics, low level artificial intelligence and sensors, has the ability to communicate with other bions and with humans that enter the space.

Selected as an emerging artist for the exhibition, Archival to the Contemporary, Six Decades of the Sculptors Guild and SigGraph 2006, Brown has exhibited nationally and internationally and is the recipient of numerous commissions, grants and awards. He has received funding from the National Science Foundation, commissions from Rhizome.org (New York) and Turbulence.org (Boston) as well as several state and private grants including the Oklahoma Research Council’s Junior Faculty grant. Brown’s work has been written about in publications such as, the New York Times, Sculpture Magazine, Wired Magazine, Bob Magazine, Newsday, and The Oklahoma Daily.

Brown directs the Oklahoma component of "The Upgrade" which is a monthly international gathering of artists, engineers, programmers and curators hosted by the Untitled [ArtSpace] and The University of Oklahoma's School of Art. He is also a member of the New York Sculptors Guild.

During the early/mid 90’s, Brown’s launched a graphic and web design studio. At the same time he spent two years developing a non-profit art space in West Branch, Iowa, where he collaborated with internationally recognized artists in creating work that was dedicated to unveiling the myth of Isis. The Isis Conceptual Laboratory was a space dedicated to exploring the mystery of Isis, an Egyptian goddess whose spirit was captured in the form of a bronze statue located on the grounds of Herbert Hoover National Park. The first show entitled "Looking for the Pieces" was broadcast live on Pseudo Radio as well as being one of the first art openings to stage an internet video teleconference.

Brown has a diverse undergraduate educational background in Biomedical Engineering and Intermedia. He completed all of his graduate work at the University of Iowa, and obtained his M.F.A. there in May 2000. While at Iowa, Brown was instrumental in creating a new digital media art program called Digital Worlds. Since 2000, Adam Brown has been a Professor at the University of Oklahoma where he teaches courses in electronic media, computer science, interactivity, video and theory. He currently resides in Oklahoma City.

Teaching Philosophy

Art and technology are inextricably linked. We must teach our students about the historical origins and references from which art and technology are derived. At the onset of my introductory courses, I begin with a lecture that illuminates these concepts. There is a rich history behind the art and technology connection that dates back thousands of years. A caveman with a story to tell about a recent hunt painted a bison on the dark wall of a cave. Gathering his friends together, the caveman led them to this darkened space. It is here, in that damp cave, he illuminated the figure of the bison and began to tell his story using the ancient tools of fire and pigment.

It is from the caveman’s origins that we trace the history of today’s art and media. Recognizing this history is essential because it reminds us of the connection between communication, technology and humankind.

We must critically engage students in discussions not only about the work they create, and the technology they use, but also about the broader social implications of creating art in this technological age. What is the role of the artist’s voice? What are the social consequences of producing work in the new mediascape? How does an artist use this electronic media? Is there a difference between an artist working today versus an artist who lived one hundred years ago?

I bring ideas of Intermedia and Symbiotic Media into all of my teaching. These philosophies support collaboration between media and other disciplines, without situating one art form over another. They are concept-driven, intermixing theoretical considerations with art practices. Introductory courses command a more rigid structure, while intermediate and advanced courses emphasize tran-disciplinary investigations, research and praxis. I expect that all students produce a multitude of work, and I attempt to foster an environment that is conducive to the exchange of feedback and ideas from all class participants.

Recently, I have developed a new program at the University of Oklahoma. The Symbiotic Media Laboratory (SML) is an inter-disciplinary program where artists, engineers, scientists and scholars gather to investigate the dynamic interplay of humans, biology and technologies. Celebrating the creativity and problem-solving skills that link the fields, SML explores cognitive, emotional and social consequences of electronic media. Participants build exhibits and curricula around the conceptual innovations and novel forms that emerge from this cross-disciplinary integration and attempts to create a mutually beneficial environment that makes contributions to both art and science.

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