MORPHOS Immersive Fulldome Artist in Residence - 2015 Denver
Type
Residency
Category
Digital, Installation, Sound, Video
Status
Archived
Deadline
July 14, 2015
Application Fee
Not Available
Host
ETHAN BACH
Location
Denver, United States

MORPHOS is a one of a kind fulldome artist in residence program that provides workshops and individual support for artists who want to take their work to the immersive level. Our goal is to expose and train artists in full immersion production for a growing need of fulldome art. This year, we are excited to be hosting MORPHOS in a metro area that is quickly leading the way in dome art - Denver, Colorado. Denver offers a triplicity of domes - Denver’s Gates Planetarium, Fort Collin’s Digital Dome, and Boulder’s 8k Fiske Planetarium. Come join us for an experience of a lifetime. Recent donations of support allow us to significantly lower the cost for participation to allow more artists this opportunity.


This program is for artists interested in experimenting and exploring 360° immersive digital art through digital dome (aka fulldome). Artists will receive hands on training in fulldome and Virtual Reality, weekly dome time, individual consultation, production support, and two public presentations of their experience at the end of the residency. The MORPHOS International Artist in Residence will run September 21 to October 20, 2015 and be held in Fort Collins and Denver, Colorado.



Recent advances in technology are rapidly changing the way in which we view digital media. Immersive media allows the audience to a multisensory experience. Fulldome offers a unique group immersive experience with it’s immersive half sphere screen, high resolution digital projections systems, and surround sound. With recent innovations that allow for easy drag and drag playback, live VJing, interactivity, and gaming, the virtually untapped possibilities in the digital dome are endless. Artists will also receive training in Virtual Reality, which is entering the consumer market with high refresh rates that allow for individual full spherical 360° immersive experiences and is a great way to previs dome work.


Join us on the forefront of this Immersive digital media revolution with this one of a kind fulldome experience. This residency takes place in state of the art facilities with the latest in fulldome technology. The multi projector system displaying a seamless 4k 360-degree image and surround sound. The MORPHOS support team are industry leaders who specialize in immersive art, 360° VJing, interactive installation design, 360° immersive production tools on a budget, dome installation, and show production.


Artists will receive:


3 days fulldome workshop,


2 days VR workshop,


3 hours per week one-on-one consulting with individual dome time to test concepts,


Local dome artist group meetings and support


Group outings


Use of rendering machine and spherical live action capture equipment


Two public presentations – Fort Collins' Digital Dome and Denver's Gates Planetarium


End of residency dinner celebration


http://vimeo.com/110886640">http://vimeo.com/110886640


example from Ganesh Rao, MORPHOS Artist in Resident 2014


LOCATION:
The Denver Metro Area is quickly becoming leaders in dome art. There are two Dome Labs, Denver and Fort Collins, where local artists meet biweekly to learn dome production techniques. Fort Collins holds a quarterly Dome Club public art event which highlights international dome work to a growing local audience. Recently, a local internationally known artist, Android Jones, sold out six shows in one day at Fiske in Boulder. Denver is primed for new dome artists to show their stuff while providing a community of support.


Denver is a beautiful city with a booming creative tech industry, growing millennial population, active contemporary art scene, and creative entrepreneurship. The city is vibrant and energetic place time while embarking on the new and exciting medium of the immersive digital media art. Artists will enjoy everything Denver has to offer with active arts and culture, a booming nightlife, and outdoor sports offerings. MORPHOS Artists in Residence will have access to the Gates Dome Lab which has a 10’ dome for testing content. The final MORPHOS show will be held at Gates Planetarium. For more information on Denver click http://www.denver.org/">here.


Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is just North of Denver and will serve as our major sponsors and host for the training and one public event. Fort Collins is an active college town with plenty of brew pubs, access to nature, an old town district, botanic gardens and shopping. The Forts Collins Digital Dome is quickly becoming a leader in fostering dome art production and events. Fort Collins hosts  an incredible array of summer activities with a thriving arts and music culture and outdoor activities. Artists will attend their workshops in Fort Collins, test dome content on the Digital Dome and have a public presentation. For more information on Fort Collins click http://www.visitftcollins.com/">here.


TECHNOLOGY:
Artists' work will be created using the latest technology in immersive design. Artists will use the latest in dome server technology with an easy to use high resolution art server which allows for interactive design (VJing, sensor input, gaming display, etc). Each artists will bring their own workstation (laptop is fine) and have their own software and equipment for creating their work. Some live action spherical video equipment will be available. Artists will be creating 4k image files and rendering computer will be available for use.


SUPPORT STAFF:
Ethan Bach, Producer
Ethan Bach is the CEO of http://www.beta-arts.com/">BETA LLC, an artist, curator, and producer. He created http://www.beta-arts.com/morphos-artist-in-residence-2/">MORPHOS Artist in Residence program to assist artists in understanding and exploring the medium of immersive digital interactive spaces. Bach served as Principal Investigator for a DoD grant developing interactivity for fulldome (which resulted in the open source dome server software,https://github.com/charlesveasey/vdome"> vDome) and as research associate for an NSF grant developing tools and content for fulldome environments.  He writes and maintains thehttp://www.beta-arts.com/emerging-technology-arts-blog/"> Emerging Technology Arts blog. Bach holds an MFA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Electronic Arts and is internationally recognized for his digital art which is primarily in immersive and interactive media. http://www.ethanbach.com">Bach’s artistic expertise in experimental media won him awards from the Santa Fe Arts Commission, New Mexico Film Visions, and New Mexico Art in Public Spaces. Bach is also a founding member of IFAA, International Fulldome Arts Alliance.


Ben Gondrez, Assistant Producer
Ben Gondrez is a creative technologist who is always looking for unique and innovative ways to utilize technology to enhance educational, artistic, and professional purposes. Ben is currently the Digital Dome Coordinator at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. He facilitates bi-monthly dome lab meetings where local artists can learn fulldome production and experiment in the dome as well as quarterly Dome Club meetings showcasing international and local dome art. He has also had numerous years of experience working in the educational and cultural sectors utilizing technology to create new experiences as well as augment existing practices.


Timmy Edens, Dome Production Assistant to the Artists
Timmy Edens is CEO of Domemasters, holds a BFA in Digital Design from UCD, and has been conducting planetarium technology research at Gates Planetarium since 2006. Domemasters provides production services, installation, and a foundation for artists to take their vision and expressions from a normally flat surface into an immersive dome experience. Timmy has worked on projects such as BellaGaia and Audi dome in Denver Airport. Timmy also provides visuals and VJing for events; most recently at http://decadencenye.com/">Decadence.


NEW LOWER COST:
We work hard to keep costs down for artists as much as possible. The artist in residence is estimated at a $22,500 value for each artist. It is our goal to raise enough funds to fully support each artist’s experience, but until that time, we ask artists to pay a fee. All artists must provide their own transportation and housing for Denver and pay the fee. Last year, artists were able to raise funds via online crowd source funding to help support their residency and the project itself. You can too!


Individual Artist: $1,650
Group Applicants: $1,650 first artist and $1,000 each additional Artists


For information on applying to the MORPHOS digital dome artist in residence program, go to http://goo.gl/forms/ADpDZWddkY">http://goo.gl/forms/ADpDZWddkY . Deadline for application is by midnight July 15, 2015.


 


MORPHOS Artist in Residence - 2014 Los Angeles


5 out of 5 artists who participated in the MORPHOS Artist in Residence - 2014 Los Angeles state that they would absolutely continue their work in fulldome.


4 out of 5 artists had no previous experience creating for fulldome.


Since MORPHOS 2014 artists have continued their work and helped each other continue to learn and be open to new experiences. Torie Zalben recently held a dome art show at the Vortex LA Dome where she paired up with a local artist who volunteer to help with the MORPHOS 2014 show. Marina Masic presented at the IMERSA Summit (Immersive Media, Education, Research, Science & Arts) on a panel for innovation presenting her work from MORPHOS. Lawrence Curtis’ work from MORPHOS was showcased at Art Basel Miami.  


My experience as a 2014 Artist in Residence was transformational towards my practice. I was able to look at my work in a way that I have never thought possible.
Torie Zalben, LA Artist in Residence 2014


Ethan was very helpful and readily available throughout the residency. In addition he exhibited really keen leadership skills as far as maintaining a healthy morale amongst all of the residents in tackling a new and frustrating medium.
Jakob LeBaron Dwight, LA Artist in Residence 2014


The Artist in Residence at Vortex Dome LA was a gateway experience to realizing my vision.  I’m very grateful and happy to have had the time to reflect on this opportunity.  I believe I made the most of the opportunity and continue to pursue ripples connected to the work that was created.
Marina Masic, LA Artist in Residence 2014


[Ethan is] amazing on every count!! [He has] given me a safe place to be myself and emerge in the direction I've always dreamt of... Great things on the horizon!!
Lawrence Curtis, LA Artist in Residence 2014