Silhouettes
July 2017
Artistic Statement
Silhouettes is an interactive display that aims to build a bridge between technical and creative thought. The relationship between the sciences and the arts, though often not seen as cohesive, is an important aspect of our culture and must not be lost. The ever-growing gap between these two fields is only encouraged by the separation of STEM and humanities courses within schools and the prevalent idea that children should take a single, focused path. The reality of the matter is that these two focuses are more connected than one might think. There is a strange, overlooked similarity in the way artists and engineers alike are able to innovate, create, and better our world. Silhouettes is a display that not only demonstrates the connection between the arts and sciences, it is a display designed to interact with all types of people on a common ground. Any person who interacts with the display will have an identical silhouette to anyone else. Silhouettes is meant to stand as a reminder that two seemingly unlike things will always be connected.
Silhouettes was displayed at KID Fest (formerly called Silver Spring Maker Faire). KID Fest is a dynamic celebration of creativity and innovation. This event attracts 15,000 attendees and over 90 exhibitors each year, making it the largest maker festival in the DC Region. KID Fest aims to expose children and adults alike to the power of hands-on maker experiences and inspire them to find their own spark.
It was an honor to display my work at this event. I especially enjoyed watching children and adults interact with the exhibit and ask about the mechanics and software behind it. Our booth also included a light making stand where children learned about circuits and made their own LED lights with switches.
Read my maker feature on the Kid Museum Blog!