SIGGRAPH 2016 Hosting Interactive Art Gallery Presentation

‘Data Materialities’ exhibit to feature unique collection of 10 highly interactive installations created from 2003–2016.

CHICAGO – Showcasing the latest in computer graphics and interactive techniques, SIGGRAPH 2016 will feature special highly interactive art exhibits from around the world. With the tagline "Render the Possibilities," SIGGRAPH 2016 will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, 24–28 July 2016. This year's Art Gallery, assembled under the banner Data Materialities, represents a unique collection of 10 highly interactive installations created from 2003–2016.

SIGGRAPH 2016 Art Gallery Chair Jonah Brucker-Cohen commented, "We have made a special effort to bring back large-scale, highly immersive displays for the Art Gallery. Our title, 'Data Materialities,' illustrates the fact that in 2016, we are all constantly surrounded by networks, information, and data. Whether these stimuli consist of electromagnetic frequencies or physical wired connections, networks are everywhere, consuming and permeating our offices, homes, schools, and public indoor and outdoor spaces. 'Data Materialities' exposes this plethora of data and transforms it to incarnations of tangibility that not only showcase their complexity, but also allow us to relate to them on a human scale. By injecting humor and kinetic energy to this year's exposition, the Art Gallery will make light of these data platforms and present them on a grand scale to reveal their ubiquity."

Artwork and artists for the SIGGRAPH 2016 Art Gallery are selected by the program chair and not by a jury. This year's Art Gallery will be open to attendees during the following dates and times:

Sun, 24 July | Noon – 5:30 pm

Mon, 25 July | 10 am – 5:30 pm

Tue, 26 July | 10 am – 5:30 pm

Wed, 27 July | 10 am – 5:30 pm

Thu, 28 July | 10 am – 1 pm

Data Materialities Art Gallery highlights include:

"Submergence" is a large, immersive, walkthrough experience that uses up to 8,064 individual points of suspended light to create feelings of presence and movement within physical space.

Disney Research Zürich created a new kind of display in which pixels, called "Pixelbots," are represented as small colorful mobile robots which create cartoon-like images or animations. Pixelbots can be seen on the Disney Research YouTube channel, where they present a Story of the Universe animation, including a fish, a dinosaur, and a human.

"The Kinetic Story Teller" installation investigates how art, technology, and playfulness can create new systems of communication by materializing data through kinetic interaction - and offer people new ways of connecting with each other in public spaces. Two beautiful swings light up and display people's social media messages on screens, encouraging participants to connect while they play.

A playful, interactive installation, "Plinko Poetry" has its roots in both the famous TV game show The Price Is Right and experimental blackout poetry. Every player can be both a winner and a poet. Drawing source text from current @nytimes and @FoxNews tweets, players can absurdly re-contextualize news headlines that are often overloaded with meaning.