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Juniata College

Campus News

Juniata College

(Posted November 1, 2005)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- An acclaimed artist specializing in three-dimensional, computer-generated artworks will be in residence at Juniata College for two weeks from November 7-18. Ken Huff, a nationally known artist from Tampa, Fla., will give two public lectures on digital art and spend time with various Juniata faculty and students as part of his residency.

Huff's visit is the first in a series of interdisciplinary residencies planned to focus on the arts at Juniata.
Huff's art centers on three-dimensional computer graphics, often resulting in visually striking prints, sculptures and short animations that reveal forms that seem familiar, yet are totally organic objects that can exist in the real world or in virtual reality.

"I am bringing along several pieces that I am working on and I hope to have students work with me on those projects," says Huff, whose work has been exhibited across the country. "I won't be able to complete an entire project because they take from one to three months to finish. I would like to work on a site-specific exhibition of a few of my recently finished works while I'm at the college."

Many of Huff's works resemble otherworldly structures and shapes that seem made from materials that resemble space-age plastics or compounds that have yet to be invented. He creates many of these works as prints and has produced sculptures from some of his designs. "The idea that I can create a large-scale image with a physical level of detail and realism, but not be constrained in any way by physical materials (or even physics) is incredibly fulfilling," Huff says.

Huff also produces time-based projects and interactive installations that resemble short animations or films. His work is featured prominently in the book "CGI: The Art of the 3-D Computer-Generated Image" and "Aesthetic Computing." Much of Huff's inspiration for his self-created images come from nature. He says he has been inspired by the iridescence of a beetle, the spiral forms of a mollusk shell, mud fissures and even the loops and whorls of a fingerprint.

Huff also will visit several Juniata classes to sit in or to collaborate with the faculty member teaching the course. The digital media artist will visit classes in communication, information technology, mathematics and theatre.

He will give two lectures that are free and open to the public.

Huff will talk about "Currents in New Media Art" at 8:15 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8 in Neff Lecture Hall in the von Liebig Center for Science. Huff will speak about how the world of art has been influenced by technology.

His second public lecture, "Organic Constructions: The Artwork of Kenneth A. Huff" will start at 8:15 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16 in Neff Lecture Hall.

Huff also will visit and teach in a series of Juniata classes over his residency. He is scheduled to talk about how to manage and market an independent art career in Juniata's Arts Management class from 3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 7, Nov. 11 and Nov. 18.

In addition, Huff will hold a workshop for students and faculty on the computer graphics software package Maya and other tools he uses to create his art. Huff's artwork can be seen on his Web site www.itgoesboing.com.




Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.

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