INTERACTIVE EXPLORATION OF ART AND CODE

BY ZACH LIEBERMAN

About the Exhibit

Future Sketches / Code Poems

December 6, 2023 - April 1, 2024

Renowned artist, researcher and educator Zach Lieberman explores the poetry within computation and pushes the boundaries of creative coding as an expressive medium. Future Sketches / Code Poems explores how technology can transform the human body, voice, and gesture in expressive and imaginative ways, serving as a love letter to the fields of animation, interaction and computation.

Drawing from over a decade of work and research in media art, this exhibition marks the next chapter in Lieberman’s journey and builds upon the success of his inaugural solo exhibition at ARTECHOUSE DC in 2020. Discover an experience that savors every line of code as a stanza in a poem.

“When I create work, I don’t want people to point at it and say, ‘that’s amazing software.’ I want them to say, ‘that’s a beautiful idea, that helped me see in a new way, or that made my day better.’” Artist, Zach Lieberman

Lieberman’s students from the MIT Media Lab will contribute their work to the showcase, celebrating the next generation of creative coders.

Showcase Highlights:

Daily Sketches: Get a glimpse inside Lieberman’s daily sketches that explore the possibilities of creative coding, graphical form and animation.
Manual Input Sessions: Engage with audio-to-visual expression in a playful and hands-on way
Re-Coded: Get hands on and see the cause and effect relationship between coding and visual expression.
Expression Mirror: An immersive experience where visitors can see their own emotions through others.
Reflection Studies: Explore principles of light like reflection and refraction.

In a world where commercial forces shape conversations around technology, this exhibition champions the pivotal role of artists and designers in envisioning futures that are both more expressive and playfully creative.

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Collaborations:

While Lieberman is the driving force of this exhibit, a number of the featured installations result from collaboration with other artists and work from his students. He feels strongly about sharing ideas and resources, so including several collaborative pieces reflects his desire to educate and assist other artists and creators.

Average Face Mirror was created by Sarah Howorka, and Faces in Things is the work of Robby Kraft, both students from the School for Poetic Computation. The installation Re-Coded features sketches by alumni and friends of the school as they explored how past computer-based works could be visualized through code and reintroduced to the public. These installations result from work created for classes led by Lieberman, who helped them consider the possibilities of coding and artistic technology uses.

Manual Input Sessions was created by the TMEMA, a group encompassing Lieberman and Golan Levin. The artist and educator Molmol Kuo worked with Lieberman on the pieces Body Sketches and Más Que la Cara (which had additional contributions from Gordy Cherny and Matthias Dörfelt).

The musical pieces “Exitisim – (A)” and “Particle and Fields” by Jemapur, “What I Feel” by Daito Manabe, and improvised piano music by Nahre Sol can be heard in the main Sketch Lab. Manabe also created the track that can be heard in the Face Lab. These are musicians whose music Lieberman enjoys and who, in some cases, have collaborated with him.

About the artist

Zach Lieberman

Zach Lieberman is an artist, researcher, and educator with a simple goal: to surprise viewers. Originally from outside Chicago, Lieberman creates performances and installations that take human gestures as input and amplify them in different ways — making drawings come to life, imagining what a voice might look like if we could see it, and transforming people’s silhouettes into music.

As an educator, Lieberman is especially interested in sharing information, creating more tools, and expanding the wealth of knowledge available to others.

He writes his software to create artwork and is a co-creator of openFrameworks, an open-source C++ toolkit for creative coding. OpenFrameworks brings together several libraries that software developers commonly use.

In 2013, he helped to create the School for Poetic Computation in NYC. Lieberman is a co-founder of the interaction design company YesYesNo. This new collective specializes in creating engaging, magical installations that combine creativity, artistic vision, and cutting-edge R&D. He is also the adjunct associate professor of media arts and sciences at the MIT Media Lab.

He has been listed as one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People, and his projects have won numerous awards, including being included in Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year.

Lieberman holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from Hunter College and a B.F.A. and M.F.A. in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design. He has been an artist-in-residence at Ars Electronica Futurelab, Eyebeam, Dance Theater Workshop, and the Hangar Center for the Arts in Barcelona.

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Artechouse Miami

ARTECHOUSE is the nation’s first innovative art organization dedicated to the intersection of art, science and technology. As a pioneer in the field of experiential art, it creates, produces and presents innovative technology driven exhibitions, expanding the possibilities of art and how we experience it. From immersive art spaces to an extended reality (XR) mobile app, ARTECHOUSE is where curiosity-seekers of all ages go to experience creative innovation without limits. Founded in 2015, ARTECHOUSE has become the premier destination, both online and offline, for genre-pushing, technology-driven art.

Since debuting in December 2018, ARTECHOUSE Miami continues to challenge the traditional museum model and has become one of the best things to do in Miami. Taking over 736 Collins Avenue, ARTECHOUSE Miami is centrally located in the city’s arts epicenter of South Beach.

As we look to the future, ARTECHOUSE Miami is evolving. Stay tuned for our next exciting chapter.

More Visitor Info

"Amazing! Must see. Artechouse is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. The perfect fusion between technology and art."

Ayanah G.

"Truly an experience that changes your perception of what art can be. It transcends the typical idea of a medium and puts you into each piece and lets you become part of it."

Dag Y.

"Amazing installation, fun for families and a great interactive exhibit for young and old."

Sherry T.

"Looking for a cool and modern art exhibit? This is the place to be!"

Daniel C.

"Artechouse is pretty much my favorite place in the DMV area. Just being immersed in such technological genius and is an incredibly amazing experience."

Rhainie F.

"This is a one-of-a-kind, experiential destination filled with discovery, wonder, and sensory activation. This magical space brings art and technology together, where a curious adult can feel like they’ve stumbled upon a Willy Wonka-esque curation of art that will make you feel like a kid again."

Tara L.

"Such a cool place to come to if you are interested in art and the new digital age of technology. The interactive exhibits are incredible."

Armani Y.

"I was blown away by the experience of live art that surrounded me from every corner, wall and even the floor! The projections were incredible, mind-blowing, dazzling even."

Anna B.

"Mesmerizing! My whole family including a 3- and 5-year-old remained fully captivated for over an hour."

Florence C.

"Seeing and interacting with these exhibits made us feel like kids; learning and exploring and laughing with wonder."

Erin M.

"This place is way more than pictures and video can illustrate."

Kelsi M.

"It’s an escape from reality and into a world of dreams."

Diana F.

"To simply put it we were blown away, it’s a very different experience that combines art and technology and it is just so beautiful…you feel like you are stepping into the future. I definitely recommend visiting."

Julia V.

"Without a doubt, one of the coolest places I’ve been this year."

Lorin F.

"Highly highly recommend ARTECHOUSE in DC. Incredible exhibit combining art and technology. Very safe and very distanced with timed tickets."

Jessica G.

Admission & Hours

OUR MIAMI LOCATION IS EVOLVING. STAY TUNED FOR OUR NEXT EXCITING CHAPTER.