The Digital 5 art troupe presented its avant-garde projects to community art fans and UCSD students at the Grove Caffe on Nov. 9.
Guardian
Pieces by Joan Everds, Tiger Lee, Greg Klamt, Michael Peters and D-5 founder Stephen Burns were on display at the event.
While the art styles of D-5 remain as diverse as the group’s ethnicities, D-5 is united in the common goal of artistic expression via computer technology. As its name suggests, all the works done by D-5 enhance photographic images on the computer, pushing the limits of art beyond the canvas and into the modern digital realm.
“”We are closing the gap between technology and art,”” said Burns, whose recent work, “”Digital Ecstasy,”” is on display in the Grove Caffe. “”It’s taken years to be able to work with technology like a painter.””
Burns refers to this new style of digitally generated art as “”chrome allusions.”” All artwork by the group is currently done on Photoshop; however, they are currently working to get a newer program made that can better adhere to their artistic needs.
The artists of D-5 all have differing styles. Klamt refers to his work as being from a self-created school of “”techno-organic photo surrealism.”” Lee encompasses her gothic and science fiction fantasies into her art, and Peters’ work is filled with psychedelic colors achieved through digital manipulation, creating busy abstract scenes to the point where the photo itself is no longer apparent. Everds aims to represent everyday items with her black and white art.
Burns, who is also president of the San Diego and North County chapters of the Adobe Photoshop User Group, constructed D-5 with hopes of forming a diverse group of artists talented enough to push art toward its next level.
All artists in the group have each had experience with Photoshop prior to getting involved with digital art. However, their artwork is not aimed at using the computer to create new digital images.
“”There is conformity to digital design — it is created to sell a product and target a massive audience,”” Peters said. “”Digital art is a form of expression and voice with nothing in mind but the art itself.””
The D-5 exhibit will remain on display at the Grove Caffe until Nov. 27. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. For more information about the exhibit call (858) 534-2021.
