New ATEC Art Project Brings Richardson’s High-Tech Heritage to Light

A new sculpture project created by faculty, students and some alumni from The University of Texas at Dallas will be unveiled March 7 at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts. The large art display will highlight the past, present and future of the city of Richardson as a tech hub.

Andrew Scott, associate professor of arts and technology in the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication (ATEC), said the triptych installation features 30-foot-long panels composed of steel, LED lighting and projection elements.

“The sculpture installation is titled MotherBoard. We use the motherboard idea to address a number of tech topics such as the integrated circuit board, which has been important not only to the city of Richardson but also, in many ways, to UT Dallas,” he said.

The sculpture is part of a multiyear, interactive arts experience that is funded by the Eisemann Edge Endowment Fund, which was started with a $250,000 donation from community benefactors and civic leaders Ann and Charles W. Eisemann. A joint initiative of the city of Richardson, the Eisemann Center and ATEC, the program is intended to leverage a wide array of creative abilities and technological platforms that will engage new audiences, enable them to explore the arts and build on the Richardson community’s distinctive high-tech heritage.

ATEC junior Safwan Chowdhury works on the installation.

“We very much like the goal of continuing to progress and lead the arts toward new and innovative discoveries as technology reshapes our senses, perceptions and reality,” Ann and Charles Eisemann said in a statement. “We think this will help grow new artistic leadership and create something new that will last into the future and help the arts innovate over time.”

The fund will support a new ATEC project each spring over the next two years.

The MotherBoard installation involves work done outside of class by two ATEC professors, one staff member, 10 students and five alumni. Scott said the students are intimately involved in almost every aspect of the project.

“One of the things we try to do is engage students in real-world projects that are out of the classroom, off campus and in the community so that our students learn how to work on public projects,” he said.

Roxanne Minnish, senior lecturer in ATEC, is working with Scott in designing and coordinating the project. She said it has taken a lot of collaboration, planning and hard work.

“It’s amazing the genius that our students possess in so many areas — such as lighting, artistic design and painting. There are so many aspects and layers to this installation,” she said. “There’s not one person who could have done it alone.”

Richardson Mayor Paul Voelker said the Eisemann Edge program “embodies Richardson’s pioneering embrace of technology, and how it can be used not only in the business world and everyday life, but also to enrich our arts and cultural experiences.

“What we also love about this program is that it will showcase the creative talents of UT Dallas’ arts, technology and emerging communication students, while also providing educational outreach opportunities for Richardson students and inspiring generations of artists to come.”