Alex McKenzie and Dana Potter Cornell College and the University of Northern Iowa
Alex McKenzie and Dana Potter are an artist duo based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Both artists have a shared interest in digital and analog audio-visual technologies, social media culture, and internet communication studies. However, they arrived at these interests from varied backgrounds: printmaking, data visualization, and web design (Dana) and sound art, performance, and installation (Alex). Having met at the University of Tennessee in 2017, they began making collaborative work during the pandemic. Individually they have shown nationally and internationally at venues including the Wassaic Project (Wassaic NY), Mint Museum (Charlotte NC), Highpoint Center for Printmaking (Minneapolis MN), and Manifest Gallery (Cincinnati OH). Collaboratively, they have exhibited locally in Iowa and at the Southern Graphics Council International (Madison WI, 2022) Dana Potter is an Assistant Professor of Communication and Media at the University of Northern Iowa. Alex McKenzie is an Assistant Professor of Studio Art at Cornell College.
Retrack
Retrack
Retrack is a system of interconnected analog and digital communications technologies. Audio and visual information are actively translated from medium to medium to medium. Printed material becomes video, generates audio, triggers 3D animation. The artists intend for viewers to consider how communication technologies evolve by building upon the language of previous mediums to create new media. The exposed wires and repeated visuals in the installations are meant to help any viewer follow the line between each translation. The system of naming and identifying each component of retrack is currently available as a website with visual aids http://hiloartslab.com/retrack/. A zine version of the graphic narrative is available in the gallery when retrack is exhibited. As educators of digital media, design software, and computer programming, the artists have a desire for the installation and supporting materials to communicate how it works but leave some of reasoning and magic to the full experience.