The Digital You

Technological illusions at the Chrysler Museum. Prepare to be spellbound.

Interactivity is the new buzzword in the world of fine art. Just look at Daniel Rozin’s exhibit, “Contrast: Interactive Work” at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk—proof that contemporary art can be accessible. Using video cameras and computers, “Contrast” integrates visitors into each of five digital installations.

An international artist who has exhibited from Israel to France, Rozin conceives works that feature technology and the various illusions it can create. When you stand in front of the piece “Snow Mirror,” for example—which is comprised of a silk screen, a projector, a video camera, custom software and movable black panels—you will see your figure reflected in all its digital glory.

Curator William Hennessey says that he chose Rozin’s work for exhibit after the success of last year’s video installation by artist Tony Oursler. That multi-media exhibit—so different from the rest of the museum’s collection—got visitors excited.

Hennessey says he selected pieces from Rozin’s oeuvre that would encourage people “to think about art, life, and technology.” He is proud that visitors are intrigued by the exhibit, and says, “They even whip out their cell phones to take photos of themselves” in front of it. “Contrast” can be seen through April 10.

There is even bigger news from the Chrysler—literally. In the autumn of 2011, the museum will open a 7,000-square-foot glass studio, which will be a working space for glass artists. It will complement the museum’s prestigious glass collection, which includes pieces from major French makers like Baccarat and Marinot. Scott Howe, the studio’s director, says, “One of the most compelling narratives in art is how glass is made…Watching [glassblowing] is like watching…dance. People are spellbound.”