Zoetropes in a fourth grade science fair
Zoetropes in a fourth grade science fair
Blog / Education

Zoetropes in a fourth grade science fair

Longtime readers know my connections to zoetropes -- inventing new types of them, starting business based on them, making art with them, etc. I've been upstaged. A longtime friend from school contacted me for the first time in years with news that her son is doing a project on zoetropes for his fourth grade science fair. Check it out! The pictures show he did the most important thing in science. Or for that matter, life, if you ask me. He did the thing he was interested in. Actually, I suspect he did it a couple times because the quality of his zoetropes looks better than the ones I make by hand, as best I can tell from his pictures. About 180 years ago someone else…

2 Comments
February 24, 2013
An entrepreneurial example of leading by example
Blog / Entrepreneurship / Leadership

An entrepreneurial example of leading by example

In September, 2001, the company I co-founded, Submedia, was installing its first display in Atlanta for our first big launch. We anticipated a lot of press. Giving away part of how the story ends, we did get a lot of media attention. The night before launch was crazy -- we had a few hours to finish installing the display, we had to prepare for the Fire Marshall's inspection the morning before the launch, and we had national, Atlanta-based, and possibly some New York-based press scheduled to attend the launch. At the pace we had worked before, we'd need more than a few hours to finish. Needless to say, we, nor anyone else, had ever installed or launched a commercial display like ours. We had no…

0 Comments
February 6, 2013
See Rufus Seder’s talk on “Magic, Art, and Motion Pictures” featuring my work in Boston November 29
Art / Blog / Education

See Rufus Seder’s talk on “Magic, Art, and Motion Pictures” featuring my work in Boston November 29

If you like art like mine -- motion pictures created by your motion, without computers or motion picture projectors -- you know Rufus Seder. He has created, among other things, series of books, cards, and other hands-on physical animation devices. Friends and family constantly bring me his fascinating work, books, toys, and such. On Thursday, November 29, Rufus will speak at Northeastern University in Boston on our type of art; more specifically how and why he does what he does, touching on the history of motion picture devices and toys, his own award-winning independent films, the optically animated art of others, and his ongoing exploration into new ways of making pictures move. He told me he'll feature a piece or two of my work in…

1 Comment
November 20, 2012
Union Square in Motion named Adobe Design Achievement Award Semifinalist!
Art / Blog / Creativity / Education

Union Square in Motion named Adobe Design Achievement Award Semifinalist!

Union Square in Motion made the prestigious 2012 Adobe Design Achievement Award semifinals! The Adobe Design Achievement Awards celebrate student and faculty achievement reflecting the powerful convergence of technology and the creative arts. The competition - which showcases individual and group projects created with industry-leading Adobe creative software - honors the most talented and promising student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers, developers and computer artists from the world's top institutions of higher education. Adobe sent us the certificate below, somehow not getting around to naming the artists -- Jaqi Vigil, Hilal Koyuncu, Rose Maison, Josefina Santos, Umut Ozover, and me; and co-producer with me, Anezka Sebek -- or the name of the project: Union Square in Motion. Anyway, I couldn't be prouder of…

1 Comment
September 1, 2012
Blog / Creativity / Entrepreneurship / Tips

Another genius business idea: the series

Many people who dream of starting businesses tell me their greatest obstacle is having a great idea to start with. I call this belief my number one entrepreneurship myth and wrote about it and productive beliefs that can help more than the myth. Besides the productive alternative belief that a good idea plus listening to your market succeeds more than trying to make an idea perfect, another counter to this myth is that great ideas come easily when you know how. As a business school professor at Columbia said The idea of a lifetime comes once a month. I completely agree. What makes an idea "an idea of a lifetime" isn't its profitability or popularity but how much of your time you devote to it.…

0 Comments
July 23, 2012
Ten Years of Submedia’s New York City display!
Blog / Entrepreneurship

Ten Years of Submedia’s New York City display!

I wrote the other day about my six-month anniversary of burpees. A couple days before was a bigger anniversary -- the tenth anniversary of Submedia's Manhattan display in the PATH system. We launched June 18, 2002. I don't write that much about Submedia here, the company I co-founded in the late 90s, but it still pays my bills and I still work on developing the technology, relationship, and other things there. Pursuing that project got me out of academia and kindled my still-strong passion for entrepreneurship. The press covered it extensively. When I get back out behind China's government's repressive blocking of YouTube, I'll include some of the videos from the launch. I remember hearing some of the investors saw news about the launch in Asia…

0 Comments
July 2, 2012
Art / Blog / Creativity

Joshua Spodek mentioned in Tate Modern lecture

I came across the online notes of a symposium mentioning me at the Tate Modern on "Pervasive Animation" by George Griffin, who lives around the corner from me and whom I met in person a couple years ago. Okay, he mentioned me only briefly, but it's the Tate Modern and he's important. So there!

0 Comments
May 21, 2012
My interview by Leaders in Software and Art
Art / Blog / Creativity / Favorites

My interview by Leaders in Software and Art

Leaders in Software and Art posted their interview of me at my solo show at Crossing Art Gallery last June. I thought Isabel did great camera work with a medium that's hard to capture on video (EDIT: see comment below, where Isabel pointed out Jeff Becker did the camera work). http://vimeo.com/39370221 I'm in Beijing, where the government blocks video-sharing sites, so I can't see how the above video renders. Here's the direct link to the site if it doesn't come out -- http://vimeo.com/39370221.

1 Comment
April 9, 2012
“Elements” — Special viewing of my art December 10, 8-10pm
Art / Creativity

“Elements” — Special viewing of my art December 10, 8-10pm

Please join us for a special viewing of Elements Artwork by Joshua Spodek at District 36 If you missed my show at Crossing Art Gallery in June, this will be your first chance to see my new series. If you've only seen my public pieces Union Square and Bryant Park, this series is on a whole other level. Plus we can have wine here. If you haven't seen it since Crobar, you've never seen anything like these pieces. RSVP to me or District 36 (at 212-244-3636). District 36 is at 29 West 36th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Stay to hear Sharam, of the Grammy-award winning duo, Deep Dish, play after. See you Saturday, December 10 at 8!

1 Comment
December 6, 2011
Art / Blog / Creativity

Director of MTA Arts for Transit on Union Square in Motion

The Architectural League of New York's online magazine Urban Omnibus interviewed Sandra Bloodworth, the Director of the MTA Arts for Transit. In the article, "Arts for Transit: A Conversation with Sandra Bloodworth," she mentions Union Square in Motion, which is also shown in photograph. Considering others mentioned and pictured include Roy Lichtenstein, Sol LeWitt, and Elizabeth Murray, that's an honor. The quality and quantity of art within the MTA is probably larger than you thought. The article covers a lot about a world you pass through every day.

0 Comments
November 26, 2011
Art / Blog / Creativity / Favorites

Union Square in Motion on NY1

Usually I keep the stories about art on the art page, but a two-minute news story on NY1 on Union Square in Motion gets special mention. The reporters did their research and spent time understanding the piece. Plus with the designers Coco && Breezy passing by and being interviewed, the exchange was amazing. Below is the news story and here is the link to the NY1 story online. The video features artists Jeanne Kelly and Josefina Santos, designers Coco && Breezy, and yours truly. Tina Redwine did the story for NY1. https://joshuaspodek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/NY1_USiM.mp4 New Yorkers walking through the Union Square subway station can see a temporary art exhibit that moves as the viewer moves. NY1's Transit reporter Tina Redwine filed the following report. Curiosity is the…

0 Comments
November 6, 2011
Union Square in Motion NY1 Interview with designers
NY1 Interview for Union Square in Motion
Art / Creativity

Union Square in Motion NY1 Interview with designers

The scene: Friday 10am at Union Square in Motion. NY1 is interviewing Jeanne Kelly, Josefina Santos, and me. After the interviews, the NY1 crew record us watching the display. The action: While recording us, as often happens, a group of maybe ten or so riders stops to watch the display too. Among the people who stop are there particularly stylish people who show more enthusiasm and interest in the art than others. They take out their cameras to record what they see in the display. Jeanne, Josefina, and I love that the group formed. The NY1 people dug it too and started recording them. Turns out the stylish people included Coco && Breezy, among other accomplishments, featured in a recent Beyonce video and, according to…

0 Comments
November 4, 2011
Audio / Blog / Entrepreneurship

Audio interview: my first sale, with Coca-Cola

Following up last week's interview on sales lessons from a great failure, this week's interview covers the result of sticking with it after that failure: Submedia's first sale, which came with Coca-Cola signing as Submedia's début advertiser, as documented in the New York Times, for example, and elsewhere. I doubt Submedia could have achieved such a great success without first having gone through a spectacular failure at first. Small interface:[audio:https://joshuaspodek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/life_lesson_first_sale.mp3] Big interface:[videofile]https://joshuaspodek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/life_lesson_first_sale.mp3[/videofile]

0 Comments
October 24, 2011
Union Square in Motion summary
Art / Creativity / Education

Union Square in Motion summary

Click here for all my posts on Union Square in Motion. A summary of my Union Square in Motion posts: Opening event pictures Fantastic behind-the-scenes making-of video Press and media about it Video of child viewing it Invitation to opening and map More videos Video of installation Map to find it Announcement of initial installation, pre-fine-tuning, with making-of images

0 Comments
October 4, 2011
Union Square in Motion: opening event pictures
Art / Creativity / Education

Union Square in Motion: opening event pictures

Pictures from the September 26, 2011 opening of Union Square in Motion, presented by MTA Arts for Transit, Parsons the New School for Design, and us, the producers and artists. My friend with the camera left when the crowd was still building and before the reception at Parsons. I'll try to find more pictures of the festivities. EDIT: found a couple pictures of the signs posted at Parsons where they hosted the reception, but not during the reception.   In the meantime, click here for all my posts on Union Square in Motion.

0 Comments
October 4, 2011
Art / Creativity / Education

Press and reviews of Union Square in Motion

Monday's opening saw some press for Union Square in Motion. Here are some links, starting with those who visited the installation or contacted us directly NY1 did a two-minute story on it, "New Artwork Best Seen In Transit Through Union Square Station" Arts for Transit's Director, Sandra Bloodworth, mentioned Union Square in Motion in an in-depth interview in Urban Omnibus, "Arts for Transit: A Conversation with Sandra Bloodworth" The Village Voice announced it ahead of time, "Union Square Subway Station Now Boasts the World's Largest Linear Digital Zoetrope" WNYC covered it, "Look | MTA Installs New Digital Underground Art Project at Union Square", including a slide show DNAinfo.com, "Students Unveil Digital Art Project in Union Square Subway Station" The New York Observer, "Union Square Subway…

0 Comments
September 27, 2011
Union Square in Motion public art opening today
Art / Blog / Creativity / Education

Union Square in Motion public art opening today

Writing on my North Korea trip has been waiting while I finished my series on my Model. Now it will have to wait a few days more. Today's opening of Union Square in Motion got big, particularly after the MTA's press release and Parsons the New School for Design's post. Here is an initial video of a few children and parents seeing the display during installation. You have to come to Union Square to see what intrigued and fascinated them so much. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jxbwP6MV2I For more background, please see my art section and the sites of the other creators of the installation: Jeanne Kelly Hilal Koyuncu Rose Maison Umut Ozover Josefina Santos Anezka Sebek Jaqi Vigil As well as the MTA Arts for Transit main page…

1 Comment
September 26, 2011
Art

Videos of Union Square in Motion with children, in interior and article

I caught these children at Union Square in Motion on video after they watched it a bit. Don't you wish you enjoyed art so much? https://joshuaspodek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/kids_at_Union_Square_in_Motion.mp4 Reminds me of the kids and family that watched Bryant Park in Motion a year and a half ago. And here is the first article about the piece, "Announcing the Zoetrope!" (pdf) which came out in Red Phone, the magazine of the school of art, media, and technology at Parsons. Here is another video, this one of the interior during installation, while we were still working on it. https://joshuaspodek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/UnionSquareInMotion_interior_during_installation.mp4

0 Comments
September 22, 2011
Video of Union Square Public Art Piece during installation
Art / Creativity

Video of Union Square Public Art Piece during installation

Here is a video of the Union Square in Motion public art piece most of the way through installation. I haven't gotten a couple of the monitors working yet, but you can see the basic display. Umut Ozover created the video, as well as helping create the art. As always, video and still images don't convey the medium like seeing it in person. So if you're in New York City, come see the display. If you're not, come to New York. Then see the display. https://youtu.be/R3xAdhrc-i8 (Directions to see Union Square in Motion)

0 Comments
September 20, 2011
Finding Union Square in Motion
Union Square in Motion map
Art / Creativity / Education

Finding Union Square in Motion

Here are a map and picture showing how to find Union Square in Motion, New York City's most amazing new public art work. If you need better directions, contact me and I'll help. It's convenient to the 4,5,6,N,R,Q, and L trains, not far from the B,D,F, and M trains. Look for the subway entrance in front of Walgreens or Food Emporium, take the escalator or stairs down, and you can't miss the display. The piece is outside the subway turnstiles so you don't have to pay to see it.  

0 Comments
September 19, 2011
Union Square display just up and beautiful!
Art / Creativity

Union Square display just up and beautiful!

The display looks amazing. It only took most of a year and fifteen hours today to put it up -- part of the joy of making art. That and it's much bigger, brighter, and in a higher traffic area than the Bryant Park display. People seem to love it already. (Directions to see Union Square in Motion, video of the display during installation) I have too many people to thank, but tops include my stepfather Bill, who built a major part of it, and the students whose names are on it for making beautiful images. Many people at MTA Arts for Transit (they're team players and ask not to be named individually but they should be), Parsons the New School, Submedia, and, of course our…

1 Comment
September 17, 2011
Art / Creativity

New videos of my art

Here are two new videos of my art by Bill Magargal from the opening of my solo exhibit at the Crossing Art gallery. First the north wall. I think it's better than the earlier video I took and posted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMam1KRcdJw Next, one piece on the south wall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbY7jddR1D4

0 Comments
July 8, 2011

End of content

No more pages to load

Older Posts