Lincoln Schatz | Cube: Quint Contemporary Art: 7739 Fay Avenue

Lincoln Schatz's second solo exhibition at Quint Contemporary Art will continue in the tradition of his previous generative new media works, but with an extraordinary interactive component.   His new work for the exhibition, titled CUBE, consists of a translucent Plexiglas room built within the gallery and embedded with 24 video cameras to create densely layered video portraits from one hour sittings with invited guests and patrons. There will be a public reception on February 8th from 6 to 8 pm. The artist will be in attendance. 

Portraiture has historically been a means to immortalize oneself in carefully staged, single timeless moment. Loaded with visual signifiers and coded messages, a traditional portrait is designed to allow the subject to broadcast his personality and individuality (often focusing on position and status). Sitting for a Generative Portrait still requires the subject to come prepared with their own symbols of identity and ideal representation, but both subject and artist cede control of the final result in how those representations interplay. 

The subject is given one hour within the CUBE. During that hour in the CUBE anything can be done, anyone can be with them. The subjects are only bound by their notions of themselves. The 24 video cameras will simultaneously record 60 minutes from their unique perspectives inside the CUBE. Subjects are asked to bring their own music and whatever objects (furniture, meal, animal, etc) or other people they would like to have included in the portrait. The resulting collection of video footage is endlessly recombined. This results in a multi-perspective, continuously developing Generative Portrait delivered on a 60” screen with a computer running the artwork. The idea of manipulating time through compression, expansion and reassembly are central to Lincoln’s work. The CUBE will function as both an object and a portrait space. Subjects are encouraged to explore the unique possibilities presented to them during their hour within the CUBE. They could do ANYTHING.