Solar Power(ed) Art

Learn the basics of solar power and a variety of techniques for creating solar powered electronic art.

Over the course of this workshop, we will cover basic electronic knowledge, off-grid solar circuit design, and ways to incorporate solar power into kinetic, sound, light, or text-based art. We will also explore a variety of techniques for working with solar panels as sculptural material. Ultimately, participants will build a solar powered art piece and have new insight into incorporating alternative energy into our daily lives through both practical and experimental uses.

Price: $200

Audience: Open to all adults regardless of experience.

Materials: All materials provided to students in class.

Alex Nathanson is a multimedia artist, engineer, and educator whose work spans electronics, video, sound, and performance. He performs regularly with his multimedia project Fan Letters. His artwork has been featured at the Museum of the Moving Image (New York, USA), Anthology Film Archives (New York, USA), PS122 Gallery (New York, USA), Dome of Visions (Copenhagen, Denmark), and the Art Prospect Festival (St. Petersburg, Russia), among other venues. He was one of the long-term artists in residence at Flux Factory, in Queens, NY from 2012 to 2016 and was awarded a residency at The Watermill Center in 2017. As an educator, he works with students as young as 7 to graduate students and working professionals, teaching skills related to sound, light, mechanics, and electronics through creative projects. Currently, he is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Integrated Digital Media at NYU Tandon School of Engineering.