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On May 2, the Fine Arts Center featured an exhibition for the 'Ghost in the Machine' class as part of the Liberal Arts Plus initiative. 'Ghost in the Machine' is a response to that digital push. 'We’ve created a maker space, but this class is about investigating technology that we use in our everyday lives and asking questions of it by making different things from it,' said Matthew Weedman, BKT Assistant Professor of Art. 'Reconstituting old technology, getting technology to do things it wasn’t made to do. We want to challenge our everyday conceptions.'

'I really enjoy the idea of stories in things, so I wrote a short little bit about every single pair of shoes,' said Colin Rinne '18, his work '140.' 'Seventy stories, 140 pairs of shoes, 4,000 characters scrolling, one for every little shoe as if the shoe had lived a life, a conception of living.'

A student looks at 'The Art Glove' by Trace Bulger ‘19. Bulger produced a multimedia piece that features him using the Art Glove to produce the painting of Pioneer Chapel pictured left.

Rinne said of the class, 'Once someone had an idea, they either latched on to it, or they talked to other people and it grew and grew. Sometimes there were some subtractions from the initial grand plan, but it was rewarding to be able to work through that process with other people.' Here a student interacts with 'Musical 2x4' by Ngoc Tran '17.

Jonathan Daron '16 (center) explains his work, 'Bed, Bath & Beyond' to friends. Daron produced a point-of-view video of converting the bed of his truck into a swimming pool.

'It was a fun-sounding idea,' Daron said. 'I’ve always wanted to know if I could turn the bed of my truck into a pool. It’s phenomenal. With this class, it was difficult at the start to figure out how do it, but by the end we were letting our ideas fly. You have to figure out how to trust your instincts. That’s what you see here.'

'Ancient Modern Technology' by Colin Rinne '18.

A student interacts with 'Yoga Pig,' constructed by Kolby Lopp '17.

Weedman said, 'We really wanted everybody to bring their talents to the class and use art to investigate their interests. Whether it’s biology, history, or whatever, It’s more than making something pretty, we want them to go after their own understandings of their own personal paths.'

The great thing about the 'Ghost in the Machine' exhibition was that most of the pieces displayed were interactive, as Amy Weir, Director of International Programs, demonstrates.

Rory Willats '17 produced 'Meat Monster,' a 16-foot tall projection of a live feed of a motor-controlled piece of meat.

Bulger said of his experience, 'I grew a lot in the class. It was a technology-based class, and I’m not that type, so I went backwards. I went medieval with a crude glove and a fruit chopper like a guillotine. I found my niche. I made technology in my own way.'

'The maker space brings in people who may be interested in technology, but it’s just part of what we're trying to do in the art department,' Weedman said. 'We’re not looking for people with amazing artistic ability, we’re looking for people who are interested in art and interested in the world, and we can teach them to use the tools of an artist to enrich the experience.'

Max Rowley '18 used a television as performance art in 'Jasko.' The work was inspired by a friend who recently passed away. 'This is a reaction piece that is completely dependent upon my mood,' he said.

Working through this project was a benefit to Rowley, who said, 'It helped me to understand how to channel my emotions and to find something good of them. You try to make the most of it. It’s been a nice break from the other stressors.'

Rowley went through four televisions in getting to Monday's production and performance of 'Jasko.'

President Greg Hess (center) talks with Rowley following his performance.

Said Weedman, pictured with Assistant Professor of Art Damon Mohl, of the Ghost in the Machine experience, 'What I’m most pleased with – and this has meant the most to me – is that these students who are not artists, necessarily, came in and made real art. There are concepts and maturity in ideas here that are gallery worthy. They just need some finishing touches. I’m shocked at their ability to rise to the conceptual needs of the class.'

'Wire Record Player' by Jonathan Daron '16.

Professor Weedman was very pleased with the students' effort, saying, 'They did very well. We pushed and they responded. The students only needed to trust their talents.'