Rebecca Allen is an American digital artist inspired by the

aesthetics Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste (sociology), taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Ph ...

of motion, the study of perception and behavior and the potential of advanced technology. Her artwork takes the form of experimental video, large-scale performances, live simulations and virtual and

augmented reality Augmented reality (AR), also known as mixed reality (MR), is a technology that overlays real-time 3D computer graphics, 3D-rendered computer graphics onto a portion of the real world through a display, such as a handheld device or head-mounted ...

art installations. It addresses issues of gender, identity and what it means to be human as technology redefines our sense of reality.

Early life

Allen began her art practice in the early 1970s while working toward a B.F.A. degree at the

Rhode Island School of Design The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase th ...

(RISD). She received her Master of Science degree in 1980 from the Architecture Machine Group (predecessor to the

MIT Media Lab The MIT Media Lab is a research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, growing out of MIT's Architecture Machine Group in the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, School of Architecture. Its research does not restrict to fi ...

) at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

Select works

''Swimmer ''(1981)

"Swimmer" is a looping video animation that Allen curated to show human animation using technology. It was displayed on the exhibition entitled A Retrospective in 1986., which was hosted by

SIGGRAPH SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques) is an annual conference centered around computer graphics organized by ACM, starting in 1974 in Boulder, CO. The main conference has always been held in North ...

''Steps ''(1982)

"Steps" is a video performance that Allen animated with the goal of creating a human in a virtual space. The video itself showcases a series of digitally animated people walking up a staircase on a looped motion. This piece was displayed in the 1986 exhibition entitled A Retrospective, showcased by

''The Catherine Wheel'' (1982)

In creating "The Catherine Wheel" Allen worked alongside the choreographer

Twyla Tharp Twyla Tharp (; born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1965 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance, which merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988. She regrouped the compa ...

. Tharp later used the animation for this video in her PBS video film of the same title. This project is a two and a half minute video that Allen created animation for. Allen composed this piece when she worked at the

New York Institute of Technology The New York Institute of Technology (NYIT or New York Tech) is a Private university, private research university, research university founded in 1955. It has two main campuses in New York (state), New York—one in Old Westbury, on Long I ...

Computer Graphics Laboratory. She produced the animation of St. Catherine by placing a mathematically derived wireframe around the performer which allowed every stride made by the performer. A keyframe was captured allowed for the illusion of a continuous movement of the dancer.

Emergence (1997-2001) oftware used for ''The Bush Soul'', ''Coexistence''

This PC-based software system was generated by Allen as a form to create interactive art. The system contains three dimensional computer generated environments and autonomous

animated characters Character animation is a specialized area of the animation process, which involves bringing animated s to life. The role of a character animator is analogous to that of a film or stage actor and character animators are often said to be "actors ...

. Alongside generating this

virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a Simulation, simulated experience that employs 3D near-eye displays and pose tracking to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video gam ...

the figures in this piece are displayed in

real-time Real-time, realtime, or real time may refer to: Computing * Real-time computing, hardware and software systems subject to a specified time constraint * Real-time clock, a computer clock that keeps track of the current time * Real-time Control Syst ...

. By having these avatars interact in real time it allowed users to become avatars in the piece. There are also music, voices, and other accompanying sounds that help connect people to the virtual world. which allowed people to use forms of communication that rely on gestures, movements and behaviors.

''The Bush Soul'' (#1) (1997)

The first piece of a series of three interactive art installations which involve

artificial life Artificial life (ALife or A-Life) is a field of study wherein researchers examine systems related to natural life, its processes, and its evolution, through the use of simulations with computer models, robotics, and biochemistry. The discipline ...

, behavior, tactile interfaces and 3D

virtual environment A virtual environment is a networked application that allows a user to interact with both the computing environment and the work of other users. Email, chat, and web-based document sharing applications are all examples of virtual environments. Sim ...

. This piece is set on a 4 inch by 8 inch digital screen and allows for people to role play and become avatars in an artificial world. The Bush soul is a concept based on a West African belief that a person can have more than one soul, and plays with that idea in order to involve people in role playing into their avatar. The software that was used in this installation was one that Allen created, entitled Emergence. The art installation was also featured in the

Touchware Art show in the year of 1998.

''The Bush Soul'' (#2) (1998)

The "Bush Soul (#2)" is the second piece of a three art installation from the same title by Allen, falling back on the concepts from its predecessor, ("The Bush Soul #1") building on the ideas of artificial life, behavior, tactile interfaces and 3D virtual environment. This is Allen's second piece of work to be created with the "Emergence" software. The medium that it falls under, and the method of which it was presented was by the use of a Panorama picture. The piece was later noted for being included in the Exhibition Art and Aesthetics of Artificial Life in the year 1998, as well as being featured in the art exhibition in the museu
Centro Culturale Claudio Trevi
in 1999.

''The Bush Soul'' (#3) (1999)

"Bush Soul (#3)" is the third and final art installation in the Bush Soul series. "Bush Soul #3" was built off of the similar concepts Allen envisioned and practiced in "The Bush Soul #2" and "The Bush Soul #1". Allen continued to work with generating a world based around

, the interaction on human behavior, tactile interfaces and 3D virtual environment, similar to the prior projects. This final addition to the three piece installation functions by having a force-feedback joystick. This provides the user with both navigation and tactile sensations. Also, it got its software program from the same software used in "Bush Soul #2" called Emergence. This piece was also worked on and funded by the Stephen Petronio Dance Company. Also, it received funding in part by the Intel Research Council. This piece also was featured in several Exhibitions, such as Women in Science (Genomically Yours) in 2003,

ACM Siggraph ACM SIGGRAPH is the international Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques based in New York. It was founded in 1969 by Andy van Dam (its direct predecessor, ACM SICGRAPH was ...

festival in 2001.

''Coexistence ''(2001)

Coexistence was an interactive art installation that blurs the boundaries between physical and virtual realities. People experience a shared world of mixed reality through a unique sensory interface using breathing and haptics. Funded by IDII

Interaction Design Institute Ivrea Interaction Design Institute Ivrea (also known as Interaction Ivrea or IDII) was a two-year graduate program in the field of Interaction Design operating in the town of Ivrea, in Northern Italy between 2001 and 2006. The institute was based in ...

, Italy. The piece makes use of two personal computers and two head mounted displays. The piece also used head tracking and attached digital cameras, supplemented by two prototype interface devices. Each prototype interface device contains a breath sensor and modified force feedback to the original game pad. The software for this art installation or piece is built on the real-time video and real-time 3D animation; Emergence.

''The Brain Stripped Bare'' (2002)

The Brain Stripped Bare was an installation and performance by Allen where she considers a future where people live simultaneously in multiple realities, where the boundaries between physical and virtual reality are blurred and thoughts are expressed telepathically. The technology she created provided an enhanced life experience. With this in mind, Allen created sophisticated forms of surveillance that track people's behaviors, movements and identities. The piece was commissioned as part of the rhein.tanzmedia.net-Prize Partially funded by the Intel Research Council. It was also presented in the Duisburger Akzente: ICHS Festival in 2003.

Art exhibitions and performances

* 1986: ''Swimmer'',

1986: A Retrospective, Dallas, Texas. * 1998: ''The Bush Soul (#2)'', Art and Aesthetics of Artificial Life exhibition,

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

. * 1998: ''Bush Soul (#2)'', July 19–24, 1998:

1998: Touchware, Orlando, Florida. * 1999: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'', SIGGRAPH 1999,

, Orlando, Florida. * 1999: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'', Ars Electronica 1999: Lifescience, Ars Electronica Linz, Linz. * 1999: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'', Interactive Frictions exhibition,

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

, Los Angeles. * 1999: ''The Bush Soul (#2)'', The Material - Immaterial exhibition
Centro Culturale Claudio Trevi
Bolzano BZ, Italy. * 2000: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'', Shift-CTRL: Computers, Games and Art exhibition, Beall Center for Art and Technology University of California Irvine, Irvine. * 2000: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'' Internet As Cyborg exhibition, Artfutura festival, Barcelona. * 2001: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'' SIGGRAPH 2001 festival,

, Orlando, Florida. * 2001: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'', Mixed Realities Exhibition, (Coexistence)

Gallery, Ivrea, Italy. * 2001: ''The Bush Soul (#3)'', Ground Zero Exhibition,

The Tech Museum of Innovation The Tech Interactive (formerly The Tech Museum of Innovation, commonly known as The Tech) is a science and technology center that offers hands-on activities, labs, design challenges and other STEAM education resources. It is located in downtown ...

, San Jose. * 2003: ''Women in Science (Genomically Yours) (The Bush Soul #3)'', Universal Concepts Unlimited Gallery, New York, New York. * 2003: ''Sound & Vision - The Music Video'' (

Musique Non-Stop "Musique Non Stop" is a 1986 single by German techno group Kraftwerk, which was featured on the album ''Electric Café''. It was re-released as a remix on their 1991 album '' The Mix''. The single was their first number one on ''Billboard'' Hot D ...

Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography The is an art museum concentrating on photography. As the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, it was founded by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and is in Meguro-ku, a short walk from Ebisu station in southwest Tokyo. The museum also ...

, Curator: Tomoe Moriyama, December 2002-February 2003, Tokyo, Japan. * 2003: ''The Brain Stripped Bare'', Installation and Performance, Tanzhaus NRW, Dusseldorf, Germany. * 2012: ''13- Architecture and Design Galleries (Born out of Necessity)'',

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

, New York, New York. * 2016: ''Inside virtual reality art installation'', Gazelli Art House, London, United Kingdom. * 2024: ''Rebecca Allen. Solo Exhibition 1974 - now!'', Digital Art Museum / DAM Projects, Berlin. * 2024: ''Radical Software: Women, Art & Computing 1960–1991'', MUDAM, Luxembourg.

Awards

* 1981–1982: Emmy for outstanding achievement in design for the title sequence for CBS ''Walter Cronkite's Universe''. * 2024: ''DAM Digital Art Award'', Digital Art Museum, Berlin.

References

External links

Rebecca Allen's website

Interview with Rebecca Allen
from June 11, 2015
UCLA Arts: School of the Arts and Architecture
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Rebecca Living people 1954 births Place of birth missing (living people) 20th-century American artists 20th-century American women artists 21st-century American artists 21st-century American women artists 21st-century American designers American digital artists American installation artists American multimedia artists American new media artists American video artists American women academics American women digital artists American women installation artists American women video artists Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni New York Institute of Technology faculty Rhode Island School of Design alumni UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture faculty Women multimedia artists