Rafael Lozano-Hemmer

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (born in 1967 in Mexico City) is a Mexican-Canadian electronic artist who works with ideas from architecture, technological theater and performance. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Physical Chemistry from Concordia University in Montreal. Currently, Lozano-Hemmer lives and works in Montréal and Madrid.

Biography

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer is best known for creating theatrical interactive installations in public spaces across Europe, Asia and America. Using robotics, real-time computer graphics, film projections, positional sound, internet links, cell phone interfaces, video and ultrasonic sensors, LED screens and other devices, his installations seek to interrupt the increasingly homogenized urban condition by providing critical platforms for participation. Lozano-Hemmer’s smaller-scaled sculptural and video installations explore themes of perception, deception and surveillance. As an outgrowth of these various large scale and performance-based projects Lozano-Hemmer documents the works in photography editions that are also exhibited.

He created what may be the world's largest interactive installation, "Vectorial Elevation", where hundreds of thousands of online participants directed searchlights to create "light sculptures" over the city, a project that was installed in Mexico City in 1999, in Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2002, in Lyon in 2003 and in Dublin in April-May 2004. He represented Mexico at the 52nd International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, with a solo show at the Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel. In 2006, Lozano-Hemmer's "33 Questions Per Minute" was acquired by The Museum of Modern Art in New York and in 2007 "Subtitled Public" was acquired by the Tate Collection in the United Kingdom.

Awards

* BAFTA British Academy Award for Interactive Art, London, UK, 2005
* World Technology Network Award for the Arts, San Francisco, 2003
* Rockefeller-Ford Fellowship, New York, 2003
* Artist/Performer of the year, Wired Magazine Rave Awards, San Francisco, 2003
* Trophée des Lumiéres, Lyon, France, 2003
* International Bauhaus Award, 1st Prize, Dessau, Germany, 2002
* BAFTA British Academy Award for Interactive Art, London, England, 2002
* Gold Award, Interactive Media Design Review, I.D. Magazine, USA, 2002
* Ars Electronica, Interactive Art Distinction, Linz, Austria, 2002
* Excellence Award, Media Arts Festival, CG Arts, Tokyo, Japan, 2000
* Ars Electronica, Interactive Art Golden Nica, Linz, Austria, 2000
* SFMOMA Webby Awards, Distinction, San Francisco, 2000
* Ars Electronica, Interactive Art Honorable Mention, Linz, Austria, 1998
* Ars Electronica, Interactive Art Honorable Mention, Linz, Austria, 1995

External links

* [http://www.lozano-hemmer.com Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's website, includes videos, texts and images]
* [http://www.mexicobienal.org Website for the Mexican Pavilion at the 52nd Venice Biennale]
* [http://www.radiopapesse.org/w2d3/v3/view/radiopapesse/notizie--1244/index.html?area=5 An Audio Interview at the 52nd Venice Biennale on Radio Papesse]
* [http://www.akrylic.com/articles/34/1/Rafael-Lozanon-Hemmer-at-ARS-Electronica/Canadian-Art-Vol-19-No-4-Winter-2002.html An Interview with Rafael Lozano-Hemmer by Randy Gladman]
* [http://www.galeriaomr.com OMR Gallery, Mexico City]
* [http://www.bitforms.com bitforms gallery, New York]
* [http://www.bartschi.ch Galerie Guy Bärtschi, Geneva]
* [http://www.alzado.net Vectorial Elevation, Relational Architecture 4]
* [http://www.amodal.net Amodal Suspension, Relational Architecture 8]