Ivar Zeile

Denver Digerati presented Friday Flash No.11 - 2015 Commissioned Artworks, the conclusion of the summer Friday Flash series, on Friday September 25th at the 14th and Champa St. L.E.D. screen. For the third year in a row, Denver Digerati commissioned seven artists to create unique motion-based artworks for public display and inclusion in a growing catalogue of visual art, the only one of it’s kind currently in the world. The artists chosen to create new works in 2015 for the program were Faiyaz Jafri (Hong Kong), Mike Pelletier (The Netherlands), Brenna Murphy (Portland, OR), Sin Young Kim (New York, NY), Atomic Elroy (Sacramento, CA), Mario Zoots (Denver, CO) and Impromptu Company (Denver, CO). Denver Digerati’s “Friday Flash” series commenced in 2013 as an initiative designed to prove the viability of public L.E.D. screens as unique vehicles for contemporary art in today’s burgeoning technology-infused society. The pinnacle of the initiative and the defining sustainable element that roots Denver Digerati’s unique role in an emerging display platform is the annual commission program, an opportunity that provides funding for artists currently operating largely outside of either the commercial private or public art sectors. Denver Digerati’s third set of commissioned artists once again linked artists from Denver's thriving local art scene with the greater global network that has embraced our unique protocol through the development of previous programs in our Friday Flash Series. After three solid years of development, Denver Digerati has fully realized the value of a network that connects visual artists through like-minded tools and approaches to new aesthetic possibilities advanced through technology as well as the proliferation of visual media through devices. The overriding goal within the program is to “give-back” to the substantial talent that has supported our general programming efforts to date, as well as provide inspiration for those who are just beginning to test the waters in a rapidly evolving, dynamic field. What defined Friday Flash No.11 the most was this cycle of support, made possible only as the program has shown long-term sustainability, with six of the seven artists having previously participated in Friday Flash curatorial programs and all working within their own unique aesthetic range that delivers a broader visual and conceptual impact.

In 2015, Denver Digerati focused on informing the public more about the ongoing Friday Flash Series, at that time in its third year. Videographer Lindsay Sullivan had been documenting the programs on the street and also conducted interviews with key associates and artists who are elevating Denver Digerati’s exclusive platform through their artwork and efforts. This is the second documentary in the series profile, created on the eve of "Friday Flash No.10 - Digital Animation NOW!" which was presented on July 24th at the corner of Champa and 14th street in Downtown Denver. The program was a curated collection of outstanding examples of digital animation by artists from all over the world, ranging from some of the most profound and celebrated to solid up-and-coming talents, many of whom are starting to gain a foothold in the broader realm of contemporary art. All live footage was shot and edited by Lindsay Sullivan of TheArtTrade. Artwork footage reflects the content that was curated for the program and presented the night of the event.

Ivar Zeile speaks about Denver Digerati on the eve of Friday Flash No.9

Friday Flash No. 7 - Kid Wonder took place on Friday, July 18th at 8pm and again on Saturday, July 19th at 11am, both on our giant LED screen at the corner of 14th and Champa Street in downtown Denver, hosted by the Denver Theatre District. The basis for "Kid Wonder" is to explore short-form animations and digital artworks that inspire the imaginations of kids as well as adults. In general, the artworks presented by Denver Digerati thoughout the DTD over the first three years of programming are accessible to the public in a way that is rare for all art, for both young and old alike. But the spark of interest struck by a younger generation, and certainly that of children that have witnessed Denver Digerati's unique platform to date, lends a particularly keen interest to the pulse within the programming possibilities. Kid Wonder serves as an example of the overriding accessibility and "wonder" inherent in digital animation and motion-art that is being skillfully produced by artists and designers across the world today. And it is truly an international effort, the majority of the works developed by artists from outside of the United States, most of which have never been viewed in a public context. The full lineup for the program is as follows: Mr. Kaplin / England The Idea Machine Joshua Catalano / France I have no idea what I’m doing + Cargo de nuit Yum Yum / England Parallel Parking + Happy Food Sin Young Kim / PNSY Studio Dream Emilia Forstreuter / Germany Yonder Kazantip Republic and SilaSveta / Russia Intergalactic Projection Mapping Championship Johnny Kelly / England The Seed Emmett Feldman / California Panamax Ben Ridgeway / California Cellular Circuitry Mehdi Louala + Eva Navaux + Gabrielle Locre / France Space Bruce Ori Toor / Israel Vial of Sound - A lifetime Passed FaceHeads / Russia My People Are Around + Solamente Cloud Jamie Hoy / England CAT-imation Aran Quinn / New York Wayne the Stegosaurus M-I-E / England Jammed Kyle Mowat / New York BALLPIT 2veinte / Argentina Looking for a Fight David Pocull / Spain Balls Philipp Artus / Germany Snail Trail ZEITGUISED / Germany Mouse on Mars - Cream Theme AlfredImageworks / South Korea Johnny Express Thanks to all of the wonderful artists from around the world who participated in this singular initiative.

Denver Digerati's "Friday Flash" program returned to the streets of Denver, Colorado once again on June 13th, presenting a refreshing dose of visual awe to the public in the form of today's most captivating and unique digital animation and motion-based artworks. "Friday Flash No. 6 - Download This / Image Anarchism" showcased approximately 20 artworks curated through a distinct process involving online browsing and direct “downloading” of files, based on months of research through Vimeo and artist websites. The result is one of the most unique programs ever presented as a vehicle for animation and motion-based art to be recognized as future forms of public art. The concept for the program began as an offshoot from regular curatorial channels used for previous efforts, while heavily scrutinizing texts that relate to “visual literacy” as well as the field of art “after the internet.” The 21st century artist, particularly ones engaged in digital practices or “internet-based” realms, operate in a different context with a constantly evolving set of protocols. According to Brad Troemel in his recent essay Art after Social Media,* “For the image neoliberal, art is a universal cultural product that should be free to travel wherever the market or museums take it; meaning is created through a work's ability to reach the widest audience and not through any particular location at which it's viewed. “ Troemel goes on further to recognize a new mode of association called image anarchism in which “.....the image anarchist reflects a generational indifference toward intellectual property, regarding it as a bureaucratically regulated construct. This indifference stems from file sharing and extends to de-authored, decontextualized Tumblr posts. Image anarchism is the path that leads art to exist outside the traditional context of art.” While it may not sound entirely appropriate on the surface, adherents to image anarchism, whether they are cognizant of the implications or not, are participants in networks that are evolving in radically different ways with the ability to reach across the globe. Online sharing for motion-based artists, through sites such as Vimeo, is developing into a unique, organically grown system with a density and distribution pattern much like that of trees, with each branch leading to new discoveries or circling back to nodes, trunk and roots. Artists generally share their work for online viewing as a way to market themselves, logging a combination of hits, likes, shares, follows, laters and even online “tipping.” Most artists participate both in sharing as well as “liking” through their own visual enjoyment of the platform or ongoing awareness efforts. Behind the mystique of such a system lies an unmistakably profound, universal tool in which discovery is the order of the day, leading to increased networks and future opportunities. For Denver Digerati it’s proven a way to discover and procure works by some of the most visually astute, wildly creative, universally celebrated (as well as completely unknown) talents from around the globe. The program consisted of the following works and artists: Mystical Beasts by Jeremy Couillard Dan Deacon / Lots by Kutay Cengil Sliced by dxmiq Land by Masanobu Hiraoka Squeezie by Ploomers (Paul Bloomfield) Game Theory by Ithaca Audio ¯\_(?)_/¯ nox ¯\_(?)_/¯ by Lauren Pelc McArthur Presenting by By Hands Cadavres Exquis (3 mins condensed version) by Jules Julien Volumetric Emotion by Kim Laughton Affirmations of Being by Hector llanquin Dauphin 007 by Jonathan Monaghan PLUTO 3000 by Fabio Tonetto das Lichtquant by Laurent La Torpille BitShiftMinuet by Adam Ferris Woos by Pet Punk The Vein - Magma by Dvein Cloaque by cloaque.mov +++++++++++++++++++ Denver Digerati is a special platform in development by the Denver Theatre District intended to nurture and bring leading advances in motion-based artwork to Denver’s public through state of the art LED screens located in some of the most exciting locations in Downtown Denver. Visit our website at denverdigeratI.com The DTD's LED infrastructure is unique to any other city in the country, supporting a mandate to enhance Denver’s urban core through a dynamic, constant visual art presence by local innovators and leading artists from around the world.

Denver Digerati launched the year's first Friday Flash program on May 24th, 2013 on the Denver Theatre District's premier LED screen at 14th and Champa Street. The program is the first in a five-month series that brings the best in motion-based art and animation from around the world to the public in an exciting context at one of the most prominent corners in the heart of downtown Denver. "Friday Flash No.1" was curated by Denver Digerati associates Ivar Zeile and Ryan Pattie, along with contributions from Denver Arts & Venues' Tariana Navas-Nieves, setting the tone for the program and the possibilities of sharing work by animators and new-media artists in a public context. Artists from the US and around the world contributed work, including Protey Temen (Russia), Jason Akira Somma (USA), Jake Fried (USA), Sumit Sijher (USA), Atomic Elroy (USA), Stephanie Davidson (Canada), Faiyaz Jafri (USA), and Diego Lama (Peru). This document of the evening was shot and edited by Denver Digerati associate curator Ryan Pattie, delivering a brief look at the magnificent work on display as well as the audience reaction from what was otherwise a 35-minute long event. Many people gathered on the corners surrounding the screen specifically to view the program, while passersby's were caught largely unaware on their way through the prominent 14th street corridor to other activities downtown, including the popular Denver Center for Performing Arts next door. The context is one of the most spectacular in the city for a jolt of progressive art on a summer evening, replacing what is otherwise largely generic commercial programming on the LED screen. Friday Flash is a revolution that delivers the future of Public Art NOW!

On the evening of May 11th, 2012 the Denver Theatre District in conjunction with Create Denver Week hosted "Urban Encounters," a program that brought several forward thinking creative concepts and spectacles to the streets of Denver, including "SightLine," an hour and twenty minute program of premier motion-based art by Local, National and International artists projected on downtown Denver's largest LED screen. The program started with a reception at the Spire across the street from the LED screen....many chose to stay on Spire's 9th floor deck to watch the program because of the dramatic weather that night, but the best view was from the street. "SightLine" curators Ryan Pattie and Ivar Zeile compiled footage taken that evening by spectators of the program to create this clip, edited by Ryan Pattie, that delivers a brief view of this dynamic project. The full program of works will be available soon on Vimeo as well as a new website for our curatorial endeavors involving the LED Screen that is currently being developed. To stay in touch with our current and future programs, contact ivar@plusgallery.com Thanks to all of the spectators and participants that submitted footage for this document and who supported this singular project. Special thanks to the DTD and Create Denver Week for their support of our curatorial effort. And our biggest thanks go out to the artists who created work for the event or generously let us use their existing selections.......for those who could not be there to view it in person, it was simply awe inspiring!