Applying a pinch of technology to his art, San Francisco-based artist Jim Campbell is transforming the third dimension as we know it. Campbell, who earned his B.S. in electrical engineering and mathematics from M.I.T, is helping to push the boundaries of both sculpture and cinema by bringing otherwise flat or static scenes to life: programming thousands of computer-controlled LED spheres and lightbulbs to flicker at set times, he creates the illusion of moving images.
Dangling from ceilings and tree branches, Campbell’s installations have rendered a slew of shimmering animations ranging from dancing ballerinas to urban traffic to bustling commuters walking about New York City’s Grand Central Station.
Jim Campbell, Exploded Views, SFMOMA atrium, 2880 LEDs, 2011-12
In an interview with America: Now and Here, the artist touches on his process: “I make work to see things differently than I currently do, to confront my own ways of thinking. When I’m done, I hope that other people have a similar experience.”
Campbell had an interesting time breaking into the art scene, as he never went to art school or was part of an art community. But he found his groove in film, which is prevalent in his motion-driven artwork. The artist recounts, “Film in general, in particular Bergman’s psychological dramas, inspired me to want to make art.”
What is your take on the intersection of art and technology? Where do you think these emerging non-traditional artforms will take us?
Jim Campbell, Scattered Light, Madison Square Park, LEDs and lightbulbs, 2011
