About this website Technology has already revolutionised many aspects of modern life, bringing with it plenty of benefits and some threats. It already forms the foundation for some art forms but its use in 3D visual art is in its infancy.
This website aims to demonstrate its potential in this field and encourage students to try using technology in their own work. It uses The Snake Pit as an example of what can be achieved by someone who doesn’t consider himself a “techie” - me!
I guess my background has taught me not to be intimidated by technology. I did a civil engineering degree ages ago and worked as an engineer and technology journalist. But I’d never done any electronics before this project and my software experience is minimal and dates back more than 30 years.
The Snake Pit is the result of a collaboration with a software engineer, Phil May, and is my final project for a BA in Contemporary Craft at Plymouth College of Art.
Anyone can come and experience it during the graduate show at the College, in the weeks beginning 11th and 18th June 2018, from 9am to 6pm on weekdays and from 10:30am to 4:00pm on Saturdays.
The Snake Pit comprises five robot snakes mounted at high level. Their eyes swivel, heads tilt and bodies bend to follow people as they move beneath them.
Phil and I hope people will interact with the robot snakes and find it an enjoyable experience. On reflection, it might lead them on to thinking about surveillance of not just their movements but also other aspects of their behaviour.
I started this project because I was interested in using movement in art. Phil’s software demonstrates its power, not only in engaging audiences but also in the way seemingly unimportant movements engender character in the robot snakes.
About me
I would characterise my artistic practice as a series of adventures that span the gamut of visual art and are typically one-off, innovative, ambitious, large scale and challenging to implement.