Jeff Crouse
Encyclopedia
Jeff Crouse is an American
artist
and hacker/creative technologist who works with live data feed
s from the internet to make art works.
through using computers, code, and dynamic sources on the internet. Interactive Frank, for example, used sources on the internet to create dynamically generated audio programs reminiscent of public radio pioneer, Joe Frank
. Another example is ChinASCII a video game based on the life Charles Bukowski
.
In order to facilitate his projects, Jeff Crouse developed Switchboard a library for Processing
. Switchboard allows "artists and designers to easily use a variety of live data sources for digital art".
After completing a Master of Science degree in Information Design and Technology at Georgia Tech
in 2006, Crouse began a Production Fellowship at Eyebeam
in 2006 and in 2007 he became a Senior Fellow.
Crouse's more current works have kept their roots in automatic writing while moving towards humorous criticism and analysis of internet culture and outsourcing
labor in virtual worlds like Second Life
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and hacker/creative technologist who works with live data feed
Data feed
Data feed is a mechanism for users to receive updated data from data sources. It is commonly used by real-time applications in point-to-point settings as well as on the world-wide web. The latter is also called Web feed. News feed is a popular form of Web feed. RSS feed makes dissemination of blogs...
s from the internet to make art works.
Background
Crouse's undergraduate study in Computer Science and Fiction Writing led to creating works that continued the history of automatic writingAutomatic writing
Automatic writing or psychography is writing which the writer states to be produced from a subconscious and/or spiritual source without conscious awareness of the content.-History:...
through using computers, code, and dynamic sources on the internet. Interactive Frank, for example, used sources on the internet to create dynamically generated audio programs reminiscent of public radio pioneer, Joe Frank
Joe Frank
Joe Frank is an American radio personality, known best for his often philosophical, humorous, surrealist, and sometimes absurd monologues and radio dramas.-Early life:...
. Another example is ChinASCII a video game based on the life Charles Bukowski
Charles Bukowski
Henry Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles...
.
In order to facilitate his projects, Jeff Crouse developed Switchboard a library for Processing
Processing (programming language)
Processing is an open source programming language and integrated development environment built for the electronic arts and visual design communities with the purpose of teaching the basics of computer programming in a visual context, and to serve as the foundation for electronic sketchbooks...
. Switchboard allows "artists and designers to easily use a variety of live data sources for digital art".
After completing a Master of Science degree in Information Design and Technology at Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in 2006, Crouse began a Production Fellowship at Eyebeam
Eyebeam Atelier
Eyebeam, is a not-for-profit arts and technology center in New York City. Their stated purpose is to promote the creative use of new technologies by funding artwork, education and exhibitions. The founders were John S. Johnson III, David S. Johnson and Roderic R...
in 2006 and in 2007 he became a Senior Fellow.
Crouse's more current works have kept their roots in automatic writing while moving towards humorous criticism and analysis of internet culture and outsourcing
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
labor in virtual worlds like Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
.
Collaborations
Crouse has collaborated with Mediashed, Steve Lambert, Stephanie Rothenberg, David Jimison, and Marina Zurkow amongst others. He is on the Add-Art advisory committee.Notable works
- Invisible Threads (aka Double Happiness Jeans or Double Happiness Manufacturing) - a collaboration with Stephanie Rothenberg. Double Happiness is a sweatshopSweatshopSweatshop is a negatively connoted term for any working environment considered to be unacceptably difficult or dangerous. Sweatshop workers often work long hours for very low pay, regardless of laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labour laws may be violated. Sweatshops may have...
manufacturing plant in Second LifeSecond LifeSecond Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
to build jeans based on orders made in real life. The jeans are designed and assembled in the factory and then delivered back into real life by being printed on fabric via a large format printer. The result is a tangible, wearable (however impractical) pair of pants. The project began in 2007 and was shown at the 2008 Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film FestivalThe Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in the New Frontiers exhibition.
- You3b - a YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
triptychTriptychA triptych , from tri-= "three" + ptysso= "to fold") is a work of art which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works...
generator (2007) - Earthify - maps craigslist posts onto Google Earth
- Unlogo - a software library which removes corporate logos from video footage
External links
- Jeff Crouse Official Website
- Switchboard website
- Double Happiness Manufacturing website
- You3b
- Earthify
- Jeff Crouse Fan Club site
- Art Forum review of Invisible Threads (requires login)