Komachin '96, 1995
David Joyce
(Canadian, born 1946, died 2003)
Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Lacey
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
Komachin '96 is a photographic mural created by artist David Joyce for Komachin Middle School. The mural features over 15,000 postage stamp-sized portraits of Komachin students, arranged as pixels to form a larger portrait image. To create the mural, he spent four days photographing 600 students and teachers against different backgrounds. He created a booth with a hand-held shutter, allowing students to create and control their own self-portraits. He then used digital software to sort the individual portraits into different values of white, gray and black. Using Adobe Photoshop, he replaced each pixel in the larger image with a small portrait of corresponding value. The viewer's experience of this piece changes as you approach the piece. At first, it appears as a straightforward photographic mural. Stepping closer, the image changes dramatically as you become aware of all the portraits that make up the whole.
This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with North Thurston Public Schools.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Artist David Joyce (1946-2003) created sculptures made from enlarged photographic cutouts. These artworks depict realistic, life-size figures that are flat and monochromatic. His compositions highlight the boundary between the real and the abstract. He studied at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and at the University of Oregon in Eugene, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree. He taught at Lane Community College in Eugene for twenty five years.
ARTWORK DETAILS
Medium | Digital IRIS print on rag paper |
Dimensions | 5 ft 10 in x 7 ft 10 in |
ID Number | WSAC1995.374.001 |
Acquisition Method | Site responsive commission |
Artist Location | Oregon, United States |
Location Information
Agency | North Thurston Public Schools |
Artwork Location | Washington State Arts Commission Not on display. At ArtsWA pending end of construction. |
WA County | Thurston |
Placement | Interior |
Site Type | Public School |
Address | 3650 College St SE Lacey, WA 98503 |
Geo. Coordinates | 47.015299, -122.821449 |
Before Visiting | Some artworks may be located in areas not accessible to the general public (especially in K-12 public schools). Consider contacting the site prior to a visit to ensure access. |
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