THE ART OF PLAY
This is it. As a creative, this photo embodies why I got into immersive art and design.
I snapped this during Zachary Lieberman's incredible "Drawn Installation" at our old gallery in Kensington Market. For me, it totally captures the feeling we're always chasing—what we like to call "opened mouth magic."
I snapped this during Zachary Lieberman's incredible "Drawn Installation" at our old gallery in Kensington Market. For me, it totally captures the feeling we're always chasing—what we like to call "opened mouth magic."
It's that amazing, fleeting second when someone, whether they're eight or eighty, is just completely transported. They're caught off guard, totally surprised by something wonderfully unexpected.
And honestly, that feeling is the whole reason Pixel started over ten years ago. I was craving an outlet—a place to experiment, push some boundaries, and tell stories in ways that broke the mold. Storytelling in all its forms has always been my thing, and I really wanted to build a space that inspired people to think differently and take creative risks.
So that's how Pixel Gallery came to be, right at the crossroads of art, immersive storytelling, and tech. Our motto was simple: "Everyone. Touch." Our mission? To completely flip the script on the traditional, sometimes stuffy, art gallery and change how people experience art, design, and technology.
And the coolest thing was seeing who showed up. We drew such a wonderfully diverse and curious crowd. We'd have parents popping in after grocery shopping, only to get completely lost in an exhibit. The same happened with older folks who'd wander in out of curiosity and leave with this fantastic, renewed sense of wonder. We even had people going through a tough time who told us they found what they called "extreme joy" in just playing with our interactive pieces.
While we've said goodbye to our physical space, the spirit of Pixel is very much alive. We're still out here crafting innovative experiences for both the art and commercial worlds. Our purpose hasn't changed one bit: to shake things up and bring people together through the universal languages of art, design, and a great story you can actually play with.
THE WORK
2013: FLUXe – Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Immersive Art Installation
"For one sleepless night, people from all over the world participated in a magical interactive art experience. Together, they reinvented the playful art of finger painting by using enigmatic brush patterns created by nine world-renowned artists."
Artists/Creative Technologists: Nanami Cowdroy, Lorenzo Petrantonio, Eduardo Recife, Zena Holloway, Christian Toth, Janice Kun, Alex Kurina, Hugh Eliot, Eepmon, Graham Miller, Rob King.
Project: http://bit.ly/1yFrbzq
2012: Living Tribute – Workplace Safety Insurance Board Immersive Monument
"Light a digital flame in memory of those who have lost their life in the workplace."
Artist/Creative Technologist: Steve Di Lorenzo, David Bouchard, Tom Kuo
Project: http://bit.ly/1ullM1y
2011 Randomly In Its Place – Immersive Installation for Sick Kids Hospital’s Larissa Atrens-Mikan Critical Care Waiting Room
"Movement in the waiting room turns to seeds blowing across a beautifully animated lanscape while the sun rises and falls."Artist/Creative Technologists: Alex Kurina, Tom Kuo
Architect: Allen Chan
Project: http://on.fb.me/1uaUysQ
"Movement in the waiting room turns to seeds blowing across a beautifully animated lanscape while the sun rises and falls."Artist/Creative Technologists: Alex Kurina, Tom Kuo
Architect: Allen Chan
Project: http://on.fb.me/1uaUysQ
2011: Narratives In New Spaces – FITC Speaker Series
“Speaker curator and panel moderator”
Artist/Creative Technologist: Theo Watson - IO Design, Tali Krakowsky -
Imaginary Forces
2010: BOBO – Immersive Art Installation
“Clowns are a mirror into our own joys and fears.
Face tracked emotions are transformed into anthropomorphized clown heads created by 10 international artists."
Artists/Creative Technologist: G-Munk, Niko Stumpo, Bison, Randy Knott, Professional Jonathan Presents, Peter Gomes, Pencil Rebel, Bram Timmer & Marta Blicharz, Stephanie Davidson, Nick Goso, Tom Kuo, Demi Kandylis
Project: https://www.behance.net/gallery/21075133/BOBO
Project: https://www.behance.net/gallery/21075133/BOBO
2010: Re:Action – IAB Speaker Presentation
“Pixel's POV on interactive narratives.”
Presentation: Re:Action
2009: The Artillerist – Immersive Art Installation
“The Artillerist juxtaposes guns, art and interactivity satirically promoting the use of guns that make art - not war!.”
Artists/Creative Technologists: Derrick Hodgson, Mikey Richardson, Gmunk, Helios Design Labs, Neil Collyer, Saran, Felix & Alex, Janice Kun, Bram Timmer, Randy Knott, Secter, POP_DIS!, Ree Treweek, Tom Kuo, Pearl Chen, James, Graham Miller
Project: http://on.fb.me/1sOFiy0
2008: Contact Photography Festival Curator – “Stories”
“Interactive stories created with MS Photosynth”
Photographers: Tyler Grey, Mattiew Stylianou
Project: http://bit.ly/1ulzd1z
2008: Curator – FITC Speaker Series
“Curated speaker series presented through Pixel”
Creative Technologists: MIT Media Lab / EyebeamZachery Lieberman & Golan Levin
2007: THE G.R.L Exhibit & FITC Curatored Speaker Series
“The G.R.L travelled from NY in a mini-van, exhibited at Pixel, presented at FITC, tagged the CN Tower and City Hall and made their way back to Brooklyn. The video is awesome.”
Artists/Creative Technologists: Katsu, Even Roth – The Graffiti Research Lab,
Camille Utterback
Video: http://on.fb.me/1BqzFjR
2005: The Touch Show – “Everyone. Touch”
“Immersive art show presented through Pixel”
Artists/Creative Technologists: Zachery Lieberman, Chris Sugrue, Derivative -
Greg Hermonovic, Nanika, Even Roth - The Graffiti Research Lab
Project: http://bit.ly/1yFBPX4
2003: ESC - BCE Place, Allen Lambert Galleria
"Canadian premiere of selections from John Maeda’s F00D exhibit, which originally premiered at New York's Cristinerose / Josee Bienvenu Gallery."
Artists/Creative Technologists: John Maeda, Joseph Kosinski, G-Munk, MK12, Nando Costa, Mikey Richardson, KDLab, Kilar, Art Directors Anonymous, Ed Keller, Zach Booth Simpson.
Projet: http://bit.ly/1x2bjsw
INVESTORS & SPONSORS
We are currently seeking investors and sponsors that are interested in helping to kickstart an interactive play space for kids and adults, with a critical focus on art, design, technology and immersive storytelling. If you're interested in supporting in any way, please reach out:
Email: steve.dilorenzo1@gmail.com
Facebook: Join the Pixel community -- http://on.fb.me/1y5SUcq
