Kathleen Ruiz

Kathleen Ruiz is an internationally exhibiting media artist who creates simulations, games, sculpture and photography which explore multiple facets of perception. She poses questions about the oxymoron of virtual violence, catharsis, and desensitization in simulated space. Her work portrays the promise of technology as well as its frightening, fascinating and humorous contradictions. Kathleen presents simulations which open up interactive, multi dimensional game space as a place for resonating ideas where multiple viewpoints can be explored and expanded. She challenges us to simultaneously see the perspectives of observer, observed and the process of observation. Kathleen is the recipient of numerous awards including the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation Award, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art Commission, the Experimental Television Center Grant, and the New York State Council on the Arts Grant. Her work was recently sponsored by Sony Computer Entertainment.   She is a founding member of the ErGoGenics Game Research Group designing games for fitness, fun and education. Kathleen is an Associate Professor of Electronic Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where she develops and teaches courses in simulation, experimental game design, digital media and related areas. www.rpi.edu/~ruiz

Collaborators

Michael Yatsevitch is a 2004 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he studied computer science and experimental game design. Since graduation he has been working with various game developers and agencies.

Ian Stead is a 2004 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he studied computer graphics for interactive media and 3D animation in the Electronic Media Arts & Communication program. Since graduation he has been working with Digital Thermite Games, a new mobile game developer that is located in the Rensselaer Incubator Center. The latest project he worked on was JEOPARDY! 2005 which was published by Sony Pictures Mobile in February 2005. www.ianstead.com

Sarah Plant scores features, documentaries, animations and multimedia. She was Associate Music Director, arranger, and flutist for Ang Lee's Oscar-nominated feature, 'Eat Drink Man Woman.' She has composed for Bravo, PBS, Canal+, TV Ontario, The Wisdom Channel, Court TV, European TV, the Hallmark Channel, as well as for the American Museum of Natural History and a commission for Bill T. Jones Dance Company. She scored Kathleen Ruiz's interactive installations exhibited in New York, Germany and Mexico: 'Bang Bang You're Not Dead,' 'The Ava Project' and 'Stunt Dummies.' She also licenses an independent library of her music. Music samples: www.sarahplantmusic.com

Lisa Naugle, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Dance in the Dance Department of the School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine.     Lisa was a recent guest artist at the Guangdong Performing Arts Academy in China, with the Romanian State Theatre Ballet Company in Constanta, Romania and at the Banff Center in Canada. She is the recipient of the Cecil and Ida Green Honors Professor's Award, 2000. Lisa was a member of the Nancy Hauser Dance Company and has performed with several dance companies in the United States and Canada. Her background as a dancer includes work with Hanya Holm, Alwin Nikolais, Merce Cunningham, and Eric Hawkins. Her current research and creative activity centers on computer-based applications for dance including motion capture, Internet-based performance, and interactive technology. http://dance.arts.uci.edu/lnaugle/