University Galleries and Collections

Benjamin Phelan, "Vitalistic Aliasing," 2012, Installation view at Primetime Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

Benjamin Phelan, WPU Artist in Residence (Spring 2013)

During his residency from March – May 2013, Brooklyn-based sculptor Benjamin Phelan will produce a new series of sculptures that examine the artifacts of translation between digital information, physical objects, and visual perception. Using WPU’s Digital Fabrication Laboratory, Phelan will investigate how his individual hand motions are recorded in computer modeling systems and then solidified into physical Styrofoam objects. Phelan is fascinated by the role of the artist’s hand in digital manufacturing as well as our perception of virtual and physical space. He often manipulates the viewer’s perception by mapping his sculptures with entertainment lighting systems that create shifting spectacles of oppositional color.
 
Benjamin Phelan was born in Bryn Mawr, PA in 1982, and he currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.  He received his B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2006. He had a solo exhibition at Primetime in Brooklyn, NY in 2012, and has participated in a number of group exhibitions including: W/––– Editions 02 Launch, Eli Ping, New York, NY (2012); Y A S 2, Primetime, Brooklyn, NY (2012); Knowledge of the True Games, Know More Games, Brooklyn, NY (2012); Vernalis, North Henry Annex, Brooklyn, NY (2011); Philadelphia Out of Phase, Bodega Gallery, Philadelphia, PA (2010); Horror Vaculi, Nudashank Gallery, Baltimore, MD (2010); and GIANT SALE, A.P.E. Gallery, Northampton, MA, (2009). He has also produced several light device performances for the international tour and special events of the Brooklyn-based band, Yeasayer.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

The WPU Artist in Residency Program provides access to our unique facility for the production of sculpture, installation, performance, 2D and 3D imaging, interactive media, augmented reality and others. Novel, innovative use of the facility is encouraged and theoretical conceptual projects welcome. This residency is designed to take advantage of our facility and the Lab at the Center for Computer Art and Animation. The Lab includes a Computer Numerical Control Mill, 2 rapid prototyping machines, a 3D Scanner, and a full digital computer lab with multiple softwares and 2D printers available. This residency is directed to a self-starting digital savant who can adopt and adapt to the available technologies. Limited production support is available (carried out by graduate assistants or undergraduate student interns). Work produced during the residency will be exhibited in a solo exhibition at the University Galleries.

About the Art Department

The mission of the William Paterson University Department of Art is to teach students visual literacy within a broad cultural and historical context. The department provides students the opportunities to explore self-expression and scholarship, build knowledge and acquire skills, and develop an understanding of how creativity is articulated through fine art and design. Our purpose is to empower students with lives rich in artistic expression and professional achievement that will contribute to a diverse and democratic society.  

For more information about the Art Department, please contact Michael Rees.  

About the University Galleries

Founded in 1979, the University Galleries serve as a cultural resource for William Paterson University by presenting exhibitions of contemporary art, overseeing the University's art collections, and offering educational programs. Located in the Ben Shahn Center for the Visual Arts, the Galleries present approximately 10 solo and thematic exhibitions per year that engage with the University and surrounding communities and respond to significant trends in contemporary art. The Galleries include three distinct exhibition spaces (East, South, and Court Galleries) that encompass 5,000 square feet.  

For more information about the University Galleries, please contact Kristen Evangelista. 

About the Center For Computer Art and Animation 

The Center for Computer Art and Animation is a regional center for the investigation of new media in the fine and applied arts and humanities. It is a resource for students, faculty, professional artists, and art educators in the region. It will also serve the region with development programs. The Center will study aspects of the use of technology in the arts. It is an open forum where makers, thinkers and doers will present their work through lecture, workshop, practicum, symposia and exhibition.