Art with sensory capability

By Robert Winters

Show Off is the name of the year-end show by visual art students, and it runs until May 21 at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. In the photo above is one of the highlights of the show.

Lilith, by Andrea Fryett, is a cast replica controlled by a computer program that allows the visitor to control some parts of the replica's body, including her head movements, with a computer mouse.

A sensor moves the body's hand when a visitor's hand approaches. A camera connected to monitors shows what the replica body is “seeing” when her head is moved by shifting the mouse.

The model was created in several steps. First it was covered in plaster, and a layer of burlap; then silicone rubber was poured into the cast. Andrea painted “blood vessels” just below the surface of the “skin” to make it look realistic.

The replica was programmed to speak as visitors approached, saying, “Hey, you, come over here,” “It's cold, anybody have a blanket?” and if a visitor moves in, “Too close, back up.”

Andrea is a final-year painting and drawing student who completed the project as part of a robotics class conducted by Yves Bilodeau, also known as Bill Vorn, an associate professor in the Studio Arts program of Fine Arts.