Press
Spring Times Online
by Mindspring (now Earthlink)
Art Blends With Technology at Audart
In
the heart of lower Manhattan, where a burgeoning new media industry is spreading
its roots, Audart is
integrating the realms of art and technology in an abandoned Swiss bank. The
interdisciplinary salon
has been embraced by Silicon Alley as an inviting cultural oasis, and a series
of successful shows have
captured the fascination of the art world. It’s located at 60 Broad
St., directly across from the New York
Technology Center - and a MindSpring hosted website at www.audartgallery.com.
Meet the directors of this anti-gallery. Named for Audrey, the gallery
is the vision of a couple who walked away from successful careers to pursue
a shared dream of influencing artists’ careers. It’s a romantic
story that verifies the old adage "do what you love and success will
follow. "
Equipped with only a Gateway 486 computer and a Pipeline dialup account (now a MindSpring account), they leased 8,000 square feet in what was an old Dresdner Bank, redecorated and began the promotional effort on "Urban Frontier" - their first showing of futuristic images that was "very Blade Runner."
The string of successful shows that have followed included a commemorative
exhibit of artists in Andy
Warhol’s inner circle of friends to commemorate the 10th anniversary
of the pop artist’s death. The most
recent show, The Art and Technology Circus, featured over 50 artists integrating
computers and other
technologies with their work. The cyber artists featured in the shows and
on their web site are exploring
everything from fragmented sci-fi themes as well as more traditional representational
ones. At every turn
in this unique space, there are constant reminders of how art and the web
are transforming one another.
