"interACTIVE",
March 2008 - March 2009, Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, Kansas
A Kinetic Exhibition by Chris Gulick, Tom McGuire, and Lee Shiney
CENTRAL OVERVIEW:
Generally, I find the concept intriguing of how we tend to experience art. The creative process is rooted in experimentation and breaking rules, yet paradoxically we want very specific rules to apply to the process and the product. We want our art to be something special, made from the proper archival materials, roped off in a special area, on its own pedestal or hung and lit in a special way, to highlight its specialness. In contrast to that, I sometimes find myself wanting art that invites me to touch, that begs for a different type of user experience, and that redefines the rules that others would assign to it. Specialness is in the eye of the beholder.
It was important to me to draw on real-world metaphors; in an abstract sense regarding movement and exercise, and in a concrete use (when possible) of off-the-shelf hardware. The recurring use of skateboard and bicycle hardware is not an accident, as these components are high tolerance/high quality in order to maximize their associated activity, and thus contribute to a positive outcome for this installation. They also provide a visual reference to a recognizable activity that resonates with the show theme. Ultimately, I wanted the availability of the component parts to result in a permeability that would translate into accessibility of the end product that would make it engaging and fun.
Thanks to the following for their contributions in materials or expertise: The Bicycle Pedaler and Bicycle X-Change bicycle shops in Wichita, White Chocolate skate shop in Lawrence KS, Jon Cyphers and Keith Neufeld for technical assistance, and a special thanks to Tom McGuire for his collaborative suggestions all along the way.
CENTRAL OVERVIEW:
Generally, I find the concept intriguing of how we tend to experience art. The creative process is rooted in experimentation and breaking rules, yet paradoxically we want very specific rules to apply to the process and the product. We want our art to be something special, made from the proper archival materials, roped off in a special area, on its own pedestal or hung and lit in a special way, to highlight its specialness. In contrast to that, I sometimes find myself wanting art that invites me to touch, that begs for a different type of user experience, and that redefines the rules that others would assign to it. Specialness is in the eye of the beholder. 
It was important to me to draw on real-world metaphors; in an abstract sense regarding movement and exercise, and in a concrete use (when possible) of off-the-shelf hardware. The recurring use of skateboard and bicycle hardware is not an accident, as these components are high tolerance/high quality in order to maximize their associated activity, and thus contribute to a positive outcome for this installation. They also provide a visual reference to a recognizable activity that resonates with the show theme. Ultimately, I wanted the availability of the component parts to result in a permeability that would translate into accessibility of the end product that would make it engaging and fun.
Thanks to the following for their contributions in materials or expertise: