TORONTO, July 22, 2005 -- A York University professor has been awarded $201,298 in funding by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation to create a ground-breaking laboratory for the study of the convergence of the digital and the physical in art. 
Under the direction of Brandon Vickerd, Professor of Visual Arts in York’s Faculty of Fine Arts, the CFI funding will be used to establish The Digital Sculpture Laboratory (DSL) at the University, the first laboratory of its type in Canada and one of only a handful worldwide.
Due to recent breakthroughs in technology, the borders between the digital universe and the reality of the physical world are gradually being eliminated and a new range of possibilities is presenting itself to artists and researchers. York’s new laboratory will allow for the translation of digitally-designed objects into actuality, which not only represents a new process of creating, but demands a complete rethinking of the way we perceive and relate to physical objects. These works – which would be impossible to sculpt by the human hand -- will highlight the new physical possibilities brought on by the digital world.
Professor Vickerd intends to accomplish three main research objectives:
-
To utilize these technologies in the enhancement of already existing sculptural processes (foundry, carving, etc.).
- To explore the possibilities for new conceptual and physical practices that these technologies make possible.
- To adapt and evolve this technology in a critical environment in order to advance the technology.
Housed in one integrated research facility linked to the existing Odette Centre for Sculpture in York’s Visual Arts Department, the DSL will be structured in such a way as to emphasize the research possibilities of translating digital code into physical reality. The central design station, consisting of several computers that will be used to design objects in virtual reality, will essentially serve as the hub, or “brain” of the laboratory. Augmenting this central computer station will be work stations where the coded information will be translated into three-dimensional objects in a variety of materials and composites.
“By interfacing these technologies through the central hub, we will be able to substantially advance research in the field by adapting both the software and construction processes in a multi-faceted and multidisciplinary environment,“ says Vickerd. “It will open doors to an organic process that will evolve and provide the intellectual and material consideration to fuel an entirely new process of creating objects.”
“The development of the DSL at York both reflects and advances the pioneering work of our visual arts department over the years in integrating new technologies into the art-making process,” says Phillip Silver, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts. “This cutting-edge research facility will add an exciting new dimension to our sculpture program, opening up wonderful new possibilities for teaching, learning and creative work for both faculty and students.”
"Government investments into university research infrastructure are crucial to sustaining high-quality, globally competitive research programs at York and to retaining and attracting the best researchers and students," says Stan Shapson, York’s Vice-President Research & Innovation. "The federal government’s ongoing investments through CFI and the matching investments from the Province of Ontario are greatly appreciated," continued Shapson. "Funding for this project will allow York to continue to be a leader in culture and entertainment research."
The Canadian Foundation for Innovation is an independent, not-for-profit corporation established in 1997 by the Government of Canada to strengthen the capacity for innovation in Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and other non-profit research institutions.
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 180,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 faculties and 21 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
-30-
For further information, the media should contact:
Jeff Ball, Media Relations, York University, 416-736-2100 x22086/ jball@yorku.ca
