"Music into Data::Data into Music"

Curated by David Familian

September 29 – February 2, 2019
See below for holiday closures

Beall Center for Art + Technology

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 29, 2– 5 p.m.

R. Luke DuBois is a composer, artist, and performer who explores the temporal, verbal, and visual structures of cultural and personal ephemera. DuBois’ method of composing is based on a fluid interaction between data, sound, and images. Conceptually, he sees musical scores as sets of data that are transformed into works of art by musical instruments. Since the artist considers the digital programs he creates to be instruments, "Music into Data::Data into Music" will explore the various ways that DuBois uses video, computational processed sound, and images as compositional elements.

The roots of DuBois’ overall practice stem from 1950s concept of “generative art.” Founded in the early days of computational art, generative art was created using various methods of aleatory change to create unique variations of an image, sound, or composition. DuBois’ approach to sound is influenced by conceptual artist John Cage’s theory that any sound can be music – a radical notion during this period of art history – and like Cage, uses chance operations to yield music. DuBois’ work can range from the temporal manipulation of musical performances, to data visualizations transformed into music, to the permutation of language – all of which exemplify the mercuriality of song.

This exhibition will trace his practice from earlier image and music-driven works to current politically inspired works; a timeline that reveals a consistent interest in the mirrored relationship between image and sound as well as the cultural artifact of data. Throughout all of the works in this exhibition, there is an active interplay between the viewers’ experience of sound and images – a sensory and compelling event driven by the artist’s generative algorithms.

DuBois teaches at New York University, where he co-directs the Integrated Digital Media program at the Tandon School of Engineering. Previously, he was the director of the Princeton Laptop Orchestra for its 2007 season. DuBois is also the co-author of Jitter, a software suite for the real-time manipulation of matrix data developed by San Francisco-based software company Cycling'74. His primary tool for composing his works is Jitter and Max/MSP. He received his Ph.D. in Music Composition from Columbia University. He has collaborated on interactive performance, installation, and music production work with many artists and organizations including Toni Dove, Todd Reynolds, Jamie Jewett, Bora Yoon, Michael Joaquin Grey, Matthew Ritchie, Elliott Sharp, Michael Gordon, Maya Lin, Bang on a Can, Engine 27, Harvestworks, and LEMUR. He is represented by bitforms gallery (NY), and lives and works in New York City, NY.

This exhibition is possible due to the generosity of the Beall Family Foundation. For more information about public events related to this exhibition, please visit the "Events" page of our website.

712 Arts Plaza | Irvine, CA 92697 | beallcenter.uci.edu
Gallery Hours | Monday - Saturday | 12–6 p.m.

Free admission and docent-led tours, open to the public.

Holiday Closures:

• November 12, 2018
• November 22-24, 2018
• The Beall Center for Art + Technology will be closed for the campus holiday recess starting on Monday, December 17th, 2018, and will resume normal business hours on Monday, January 7th, 2019. The administrative office will be open during this time, with the exception of its own holiday closure (December 24, 2018-January 2,2019). We look forward to seeing you in 2019!
• January 15, 2019

The Beall Center received its initial support from the Rockwell Corporation in honor of retired chairman Don Beall and his wife, Joan, the core idea being to merge their lifelong passions – technology, business and the arts – in one place. Today major support is generously provided by the Beall Family Foundation.