his work - a collaboration between artists Mike Misanchuk and Garnet Hertz - embodies a collaborative exploration in digital space. This exploration encompasses three primary themes: architecture, body, and digital space. The relationship between these three themes are explored through the space.
Architecture/Body
The architecture/body theme within a cathedral has a clear historical foundation. The cathedral floor plan - fashioned after the body of Christ during crucifixion - has historically existed as a relationship between architecture and the body. Playing off this idea, this digital space has explicitly re-introduced the body-shape into the architecture by building a large, stone-like body in the basement of the structure. Echoing the shape of the cathedral, the body brings to mind the original architecture/body relationship present in traditional cathedral architecture. However, being trapped by the architecture around it, the architecture/body relationship evokes a grave-like symbol - bringing into question the contemporary meaning of this traditional architecture/body relationship.
Architecture/Digital
Computer code and digital networks have constructed a new form of architecture during this decade. This architecture exists in two primary forms: it can exist as traditional buildings - 3D digital manifestations of traditional architectural forms, or they can exist as obscure non-physical constructions - such as the internet. The traditional 3D digital building form is exhibited as the cathedral space. On the other hand, the obscure non-physical architecture of digital code is examined through interactive video-pieces displayed on monitors hanging in the basement.
Digital/Body
Motionless and trapped by the digital architecture around it, the large stone-like body in the basement expresses many relationships between body and digital space. Unable to tangibly participate in the digital space around it, the body maintains a physically passive presence. The body, however, still exerts a presence within the digital space - a psychological being which is physically inactive yet mentally present.
