As Spring Break came to a close, the Jesuit Dallas Museum (J.D.M.) added in two new exhibits for viewers to be immersed in. The first one, Mood Elevator by Chris Lattanzio ’81 is a multi-sensory piece that has been turned into an interactive experience for students to engage in. The second one, Travels with Carolyn by Carolyn Brown is a collection of photography pieces of famous places and ancient architecture Brown has depicted along her journeys around the world. Both exhibitions bring a variety of color and creativity to add to Jesuit’s collection of artistic paintings and other pieces that represent the J.D.M.
Mood Elevator by Chris Lattanzio ’81
Background of Lattanzio
Graduating from Jesuit as part of the class of 1981, Lattanzio’s artwork consists of using technology and light waves to create artistic sculptures and 3D creations. His works have been inspired by earlier artists such as James Turrell and Dan Flavin who have made very similar creations that also incorporate light and technology into their pieces.
Lattanzio is highly regarded as an artist; in fact, in his twenty plus year career in this profession, he has worked in large scale projects and coordinated teams of professional artisans and vendors to help him with his creations. One example of this is how he worked as an Olympic artist for the United States in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics. He worked with fellow American contemporary artist John Nieto in the 2002 Olympic Games on artwork for the United States, as well as crafted an “Official Selection” piece for the 2006 Olympic Games called Spirit of the Downhill.
“In my experience, there are two qualities that are very important for an artist to have; a strong work ethic and a valid personal vision. Chris Lattanzio has them both. The language of his art allows for a wide range of expression and his feelings dictate his esthetic focus on each project he mounts. I am also impressed with his ability to bring each project to completion neatly and efficiently. When I look at his art, I feel like I’m learning a new language.” -John Nieto
Lattanzio’s mission with his artwork is to use the senses as a way to evoke emotions through the use of color and sound. He considers himself a “site-specific artist” who uses the environment of a space, created by LED light and other technology, to create these emotions that the viewer may feel.
Mood Elevator
This work is a sculpture designed to look like an elevator, surrounded by bright LED lights. Located inside the elevator are two chairs and headphones connected to it. Elevator users will select the button mode of their choice located on the outside of it, sit in the chairs facing the elevator, and put on the headphones. If the top button is pressed, the experience will give off lights, colors, and sounds associated with uplifting feelings of happiness, while if the bottom button is pressed, the experience will give off feelings associated with a more calm and relaxed mood. After each button is pressed, the designated experience will play for five minutes. The elevator is designed to elevate one’s mood with its color and sound, whether uplifting spirits to make one excited and happy or to calm one down peacefully after a tiring day.
Other Pieces by Lattanzio at Jesuit
Travels with Carolyn by Carolyn Brown
Background of Brown
Carolyn Brown was born and raised in Colorado, where her love for art started. She started with ceramics and sculpture-making before teaching art to middle and high school students in her area. Where her career took off was in Cairo, Egypt, where she graduated from the American University of Cairo after studying art history. Living in Egypt during this time, she was very interested in all of the architecture around the area, including the Great Pyramids and other ancient Egyptian creations. With this interest, she decided to turn it into a hobby and began photographing desert landscapes and ancient architecture.
Brown went on to spend the next three years traveling the world and photographing famous landmarks and ancient architecture in the sandy areas around the Middle East, Mexico, and the Southwestern United States. Later on in these years, she would start to take pictures of not only architecture but also the nature and people in these areas.
In the present, Brown resides in Dallas and is very well known throughout the city for her photography. Her main focus on what she photographs now includes preservation projects, flowers, landscapes, and ancient sites. She has also published many books and is well regarded for her photography, as some of it is located in other parts of the U.S.; some of these include the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Also, she is known for her exhibit Sacred Spaces: Man and the Divine, parts of which are located in Mexico, Central America, and at one point in the Fair Park Hall of State in Dallas.
“The beauty of photography is that by looking at a photograph, one can immediately experience long-ago moments, never to be forgotten, even bits of the lives people lived thousands of years ago—where, how and who they worshiped, and where they walked, worked, lived and loved.” “These experiences are part of incredible memories and will forever be
in my heart—they are an important part of who I am today.” -Carolyn brown
Pictures from Travels with Carolyn
The Roundup would like to thank Museum Director Mrs. Hunt-Blanc for the information and for getting access to these pieces from both artists. Make sure to take a moment during a free period to come to the Historical Library and see the photography from Travels with Carolyn, or stop by the Info Commons and experience the Mood Elevator!
All images are credited to the editor and their photography of the artwork.
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