Bug in the Works

The moths in MOTH come to life with a touch.

Comments (0) By Susan Froyd Thursday, Jan 24 2008

Jen Lewin wants you to touch the art. Without your input, after all, her work would fail. A nationally known artist with her hands in a plethora of cutting-edge disciplines, she's created all manner of computer-driven gizmos and things of beauty, from laser harps (created for Burning Man throngs to play in the desert) to the imaginative lighting in her husband Kimbal Musk's renowned Kitchen restaurant, not to mention a monumental silk-and-metal interactive butterfly -- and now, three giant moths that move and also respond to human touch.

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And what happens when you touch the MOTH moths? They sense your touch electronically and begin to flap their eight-foot silken wings: the longer you touch, the more powerful the movement. A fitting personification of the forward-looking spirit of the University of Colorado at Boulder's ultra-modern ATLAS Center for Arts, Media and Performance, where they're currently on view (and ready to be touched), the massive moths will flutter in the lobby through February 15. In addition, Lewin will give a free lecture on February 1 at 3 p.m. in ATLAS's Cofrin Auditorium, and a Valentine's Day MOTH Celebration, with music and refreshments, will take place at 4:30 p.m. February 14.

ATLAS is on campus, at 1125 18th Street in Boulder; for more information, log on to www.colorado.edu/atlas.
Jan. 15-Feb. 15, 2008