 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 Back to Contents |
|
|
| Arts |
Igor Vamos, internationally known multimedia artist and assistant professor of integrated electronic arts, has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Vamos will use the award’s $35,000 grant to complete a project that uses Global Positioning System (GPS) and other wireless technology to provide a new medium on which to view his new documentary, Grounded. Grounded is about Wendover, a remote Utah desert town and the home of the Wendover Air Field. The military base was the secret training site for the B-29 crews that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. The now-defunct base—the largest in the world at the time—has used more than three million acres in the surrounding area for bombing and training activities. “The documentary will focus on the historical land uses and the contemporary adaptive re-use of the military landscape, ranging from the use of former base buildings for local homes to the use of bomb craters for landfill sites,” Vamos says. To “view” the documentary, those driving through Wendover will pick up a handheld computer with a GPS receiver and a set of headphones at one of several artist residency locations in town. The device, which can be latched to a vehicle’s dashboard, will have wireless access to the Web to deliver the audio narration in real time. Viewers can also pull over their vehicles to watch any of the embedded Web-based, real-time videos and slideshows. What the device generates depends on where the viewer decides to go. The Guggenheim, a highly competitive and prestigious fellowship, is awarded for outstanding achievement and exceptional promise in a discipline. Vamos was chosen from more than 3,000 applicants. The award is another indication that Rensselaer’s arts program is gaining recognition for its groundbreaking programs and distinguished faculty. Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rensselaer’s electronic arts MFA program as one of the top 10 in multimedia/visual communications in the country. |
|
|
| Rensselaer Magazine: June 2003 | ||||
| President's View | Your Mail | From the Archives | Hawk Talk | Class Notes Features |
| Front Page | At Rensselaer | Milestones |
| In Memoriam | Making a Difference | Staying Connected |
| Rensselaer Home Page | RPInfo | AlumServ Home Page |
|
|
Opinions expressed in these pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or the policies of the Institute. |
| © 2003 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. All rights reserved worldwide. | |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 110 8th St., Troy, NY 12180. (518) 276-6000 Web site design by the Rensselaer Office of Communications. Contact Jane Van Ryan, Assistant Vice President, Office of Communications. Questions? Comments? Please contact us. |
|