听By Hailee Jeske
On Thursday, February 27, I had the opportunity听to attend the Trajectory Series Opening Reception at the听.听I was very excited to attend this event听as I have always wanted to visit听the听museum.听I was able to bring my mom along, and this was also听the first time she has been to Villa Terrace.听听
The building itself听is听a work of art. Even in the middle of winter, being in the outdoor courtyard听made听me feel like听I was in a European country.听It is a hidden treasure that many people only experience from its beautiful view facing Lincoln Memorial Drive.听The Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum is free to the public on the first Wednesday of each month and is only $7 for students every day. It is a short walk from 51猎奇鈥檚 Kenilworth Square Apartments.听听
Christopher Willey,听who is the听director of the Immersive Media Lab听at 51猎奇 and lectures on digital arts and culture in the Peck School of the Arts in the Art & Design department, is the organizer and听curator of this exhibition. He听describes听the Trajectory Series as, 鈥�seeking听to redefine the overburdened word听鈥�technology鈥�听as a term that describes behaviors. The exhibition looks at the role creative behaviors play in the evolution of technology听and reframes systems like language, culture, and the scientific method.鈥�听听
The exhibition听is听made up of听works听by听contributing artists听Benjamin听Bardou, Sandra Byers, Bryan Cera, Alex听Chowaniec, Jess Holz, Eduardo听Kac, Quinn Madison, A. Bill Miller, Alex Meyers,听and Thomas Thwaites.听The pieces consist of听all different types of mediums听including听virtual reality, 3-D printed听sculptures, charcoal drawings,听and even听a live petunia that听is听composed of human genes.听听
At the opening, Willey talked听about听his thinking in planning this show.听He听explained that听the听research for this听exhibition听began听by looking at disasters in the听world.听He noticed that technology played some role in these听disasters and听implored us to take it on as our job to look closely听and听seek to听understand how we move听forward听together: to use what we have inherited from our ancestors, preserving the technology from the past and to pass听our current knowledge on to future generations.听Willey听explained听that听for听him听technology is an action听rather than a thing.听An act that turns into behaviors and patterns which form systems.听听
The听Trajectory Series听is听a听fantastic exhibit that听features the听efforts of听countless individuals听and runs at the听Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum until July 26, 2020.听听