The Dayton Art Institute’s visual arts theatre series, Fifth Third Bank Arts Night Out, wraps up its 2013 season on Thursday, December 5, with the visual spectacle, Spontaneous Fantasia.
Spontaneous Fantasia is a live, musical visual experience that incorporates elements of animation, theater, dance, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, and interactive art into a seamless new art form that amazes audiences.
Spontaneous Fantasia is the digital live performance work of pioneering multimedia artist J-Walt. He utilizes the latest in interactive computer graphics techniques to bring paintings to life. The result is an improvised real-time immersive animated movie that unfolds before audiences.
“With my performances, I take literally the meaning of the word ‘animation’: making images come to life,” says J-Walt. “I use my drawing skills to give directions to computer programs I’ve written. I aim to capture the sensitivity of gesture, but I also use techniques which amplify and augment the gestures. The wave of the arm or the stroke of the pen is my foundation, but the effect is much more. My creative process for these pieces is to continually shift between painting, programming, composing music, and performing. My goal is to create a wholly integrated experience for the eye, ear, and mind.”
J-Walt is a performer, interactive designer, filmmaker, graphic artist, and composer. For 25 years, he has been at the forefront of interactive art and computer performance, expanding the uses of computer animation into uncharted territories. He is an award-winning pioneer of computer-generated puppetry, having created many digital puppets over the years. In March of 2006, he won a Technical Academy Award for his development of a real-time pre-visualization system.
For a sample of J-Walt’s work, go to www.spontaneousfantasia.com/videos.
Spontaneous Fantasia takes place in The Dayton Art Institute’s NCR Renaissance Auditorium on Thursday, December 5, at 8 p.m.
The Dayton Art Institute’s Leo Bistro will be open for dinner on December 5, 4:30-8:00 p.m., offering a special menu for the show. Advance reservations are recommended, by calling 937-512-0146. Go to www.leobistro.com for more information about the menu.
Tickets for Spontaneous Fantasia are $30 for adults and $26 for seniors. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased by phone, at 937-223-4ART (4278), in person at The Dayton Art Institute’s Guest Services Desk during regular museum hours, or online at www.daytonartinstitute.org/artsnightout.
For more information about this and other programs at The Dayton Art Institute, please visit www.daytonartinstitute.org or call the museum at 937-223-4ART (4278). Be sure to also connect with The Dayton Art Institute on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for additional information, behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive offers.
