James Powderly
Encyclopedia
James Powderly is an artist and engineer whose work has focused on creating tools for graffiti artists and political activists, designing robots and promoting open source culture.
with Evan Roth
. James studied music composition at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
. After college, he received a Masters Degree from NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program. James worked at Honeybee Robotics and was part of the team that worked on the Mars Exploration Rovers Rock Abrasion Tool
. As the collaborative team Robot Clothes, Powderly and artist Michelle Kempner, received an artist residency at Eyebeam
for their project, Automated Biography. The project used small robots to tell the "personal story about a sick person and their partner."
In 2005, James became a Research and Development Fellow at the Eyebeam
OpenLab where he began collaborating with Evan Roth
. Working as the Graffiti Research Lab
, Roth
and Powderly develop open source
tools for graffiti
writers and activists, such as LED Throwies and L.A.S.E.R. Tag. Together they also founded the Free Art and Technology Lab
a.k.a. F.A.T. Lab. Most recently James has won several awards for his work on the EyeWriter
project, including the 2009 Design of the Year in Interactive Art from Design Museum, London, the 2010 Prix Ars Electronica
, the 2010 FutureEverything Award and featured on NPR
and TED
. James lives in Seoul, South Korea and is a professor at Hongik University
in the Visual Communication Design Department.
, Powderly was contacted by Students for a Free Tibet
who wanted to use his laser stencil invention, which can throw beams of light up to 30 feet high, to project the words "Free Tibet" on a Beijing landmark, without acquiring any permission from the local authority. He said that "My understanding of the Tibetan issue was not in depth," but that he wanted to make "a general statement about freedom of speech". After practicing his message projection out of an apartment, he and two other protesters were arrested, interrogated, and detained at Chongwen Detention Center and given 10 days for "disrupting public order", which is unusual for American activists detained in China. He was released during the closing day of the Olympics, on August 24.
Biography
James Powderly (born 1976) is a technologist and artist who founded Graffiti Research LabGraffiti Research Lab
Graffiti Research Lab, founded by Evan Roth and James Powderly during their fellowships at the Eyebeam OpenLab, is an art group dedicated to outfitting graffiti writers, artists and protesters with open source technologies for urban communication. The members of the group experiment in a lab and in...
with Evan Roth
Evan Roth
Evan Roth is an artist whose work focuses on tools of empowerment, open source and popular culture. He has previously released work under the name "fi5e".-Biography:...
. James studied music composition at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
. After college, he received a Masters Degree from NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program. James worked at Honeybee Robotics and was part of the team that worked on the Mars Exploration Rovers Rock Abrasion Tool
Rock Abrasion Tool
The Rock Abrasion Tool is a grinding and brushing installation on NASA’s twin Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity , which landed on Mars in January 2004...
. As the collaborative team Robot Clothes, Powderly and artist Michelle Kempner, received an artist residency at Eyebeam
Eyebeam Atelier
Eyebeam, is a not-for-profit arts and technology center in New York City. Their stated purpose is to promote the creative use of new technologies by funding artwork, education and exhibitions. The founders were John S. Johnson III, David S. Johnson and Roderic R...
for their project, Automated Biography. The project used small robots to tell the "personal story about a sick person and their partner."
In 2005, James became a Research and Development Fellow at the Eyebeam
Eyebeam Atelier
Eyebeam, is a not-for-profit arts and technology center in New York City. Their stated purpose is to promote the creative use of new technologies by funding artwork, education and exhibitions. The founders were John S. Johnson III, David S. Johnson and Roderic R...
OpenLab where he began collaborating with Evan Roth
Evan Roth
Evan Roth is an artist whose work focuses on tools of empowerment, open source and popular culture. He has previously released work under the name "fi5e".-Biography:...
. Working as the Graffiti Research Lab
Graffiti Research Lab
Graffiti Research Lab, founded by Evan Roth and James Powderly during their fellowships at the Eyebeam OpenLab, is an art group dedicated to outfitting graffiti writers, artists and protesters with open source technologies for urban communication. The members of the group experiment in a lab and in...
, Roth
Evan Roth
Evan Roth is an artist whose work focuses on tools of empowerment, open source and popular culture. He has previously released work under the name "fi5e".-Biography:...
and Powderly develop open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
tools for graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
writers and activists, such as LED Throwies and L.A.S.E.R. Tag. Together they also founded the Free Art and Technology Lab
Free Art and Technology Lab
The Free Art and Technology Lab a.k.a. F.A.T. Lab is a collective of artists, engineers, scientists, lawyers, and musicians, dedicated to the merging of popular culture with open source technology. F.A.T. Lab is known for producing artwork critical of traditional Intellectual Property Law in the...
a.k.a. F.A.T. Lab. Most recently James has won several awards for his work on the EyeWriter
EyeWriter
The EyeWriter is a low-cast eyetracking system originally designed for paralyzed graffiti artist TEMPT1. The EyeWriter system uses inexpensive cameras and open-source computer vision software to track the wearer's eye movements....
project, including the 2009 Design of the Year in Interactive Art from Design Museum, London, the 2010 Prix Ars Electronica
Prix Ars Electronica
The Prix Ars Electronica is one of the most important yearly prizes in the field of electronic and interactive art, computer animation, digital culture and music...
, the 2010 FutureEverything Award and featured on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
and TED
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
. James lives in Seoul, South Korea and is a professor at Hongik University
Hongik University
Hongik University, usually known as "Hongdae" for short, is a private university in the Mapo-gu district of central Seoul, South Korea with a second campus in Jochiwon, Chungcheongnam-do. Hongik University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs...
in the Visual Communication Design Department.
Exhibitions
Selected Exhibitions, Screenings and performances include:- 2011 Museum of Modern Art, Talk to Me, New York City, New York
- 2009 Platoon Kunsthalle, Showcase, Seoul, South Korea
- 2009 Street Art Dealer Interactive Exhibition, Steal From Work, Bristol, UK.
- 2008, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, Beyond a Memorable Fancy, New York City, New York
- 2008, Museum of Modern Art, Rough Cut: Design Takes a Sharp Edge, 3rd Floor, New York City, New York
- 2008, Museum of Modern Art, Design and the Elastic Mind, New York City, New York
- 2008 Tate Modern, Street Art, London, UK.
- 2007, Sundance Film Festival, New Frontiers, Park City, Utah
- 2007, 2nd Digital Arts Festival, OpenPlay, Taipei City, Taiwan
- 2007, Microwave Festival, Luminous Echo, Hong Kong
- 2007, Ars ElectronicaArs ElectronicaArs Electronica is an organization based in Linz, Austria, founded in 1979 around a festival for art, technology and society that was part of the International Bruckner Festival. Herbert W. Franke is one of its founders. It became its own festival and a yearly event in 1986. Its director until 1995...
, Second City, Linz, Austria - 2007 Esther M Klein Gallery, "Artbots", Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 2007, EyebeamEyebeamEyebeam may refer to:*I-beam, a beam with an I- or H-shaped cross-section* Eyebeam Art and Technology Center, a not-for-profit arts and technology center based in New York City* Eyebeam , a daily comic strip written and illustrated by Sam Hurt...
, Open City, New York City, New York - 2006, Ars ElectronicaArs ElectronicaArs Electronica is an organization based in Linz, Austria, founded in 1979 around a festival for art, technology and society that was part of the International Bruckner Festival. Herbert W. Franke is one of its founders. It became its own festival and a yearly event in 1986. Its director until 1995...
, Goodbye Privacy, Linz, Austria - 2005 Eyebeam Art and Technology Center Inside Out Life Story with Michelle Kempner, New York
- 2004 ArtBots, Harlem, New York
Detainment in China
In June 2008, before the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, Powderly was contacted by Students for a Free Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet
Students For a Free Tibet is a global grassroots network of students and activists working in solidarity with the Tibetan people for human rights and freedom. The group uses education, advocacy, and nonviolent direct action with the goal of achieving Tibetan independence...
who wanted to use his laser stencil invention, which can throw beams of light up to 30 feet high, to project the words "Free Tibet" on a Beijing landmark, without acquiring any permission from the local authority. He said that "My understanding of the Tibetan issue was not in depth," but that he wanted to make "a general statement about freedom of speech". After practicing his message projection out of an apartment, he and two other protesters were arrested, interrogated, and detained at Chongwen Detention Center and given 10 days for "disrupting public order", which is unusual for American activists detained in China. He was released during the closing day of the Olympics, on August 24.
External links
- Graffiti Research LabGraffiti Research LabGraffiti Research Lab, founded by Evan Roth and James Powderly during their fellowships at the Eyebeam OpenLab, is an art group dedicated to outfitting graffiti writers, artists and protesters with open source technologies for urban communication. The members of the group experiment in a lab and in...
- Free Art and Technology Lab
- Robot Clothes project website robotclothes.com
- Eyebeam Openlab
- Interview with James Powderly from cafka