Visiting Artist Colloquium

media release: Discover the latest developments in fine art, craft, and design at our free public lectures by some of the nation’s most prominent artists, critics, and gallery and museum directors.

The Art Department Colloquium is a series supported by the Anonymous Fund and the Brittingham Trust. Faculty lectures are held every Tuesday and Visiting Artist lectures are held every Wednesday (Elvehjem L160) during the academic year, and are free and open to the public. Online at Zoom: uwmadison.zoom.us/my/artcolloquium

Tristan Duke is a Los Angeles-based artist known for his innovative, collaborative, interdisciplinary, research-based projects. Synthesizing methodologies from disparate fields such as art, science, and contemplative practice his approach creates space for surprising connections, startling inventions, and sublime aesthetic experiences.

With a special interest in light, optics, illusion, and visual perception –and using innovative approaches to materials, craft and technology, Duke explores visual ways of knowing; building his own cameras, optical devices, and interactive installations to create radical new perspectives.

His recent ongoing project, Glacial Optics, explores glacier ice as a literal and poetic lens through which to understand our times.  As the recipient of the 2023/2024 LACMA Art and Technology Lab Grant, Duke is continuing to build on his Glacial Optics Series, exploring cutting edge science on and in the glaciers… with partners including the National Science Foundation’s Ice Core Facility (NSF-ICF), the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC), and others.

Duke has pioneered numerous holographic technologies, including creating the first ever 3D hologram vinyl records.  He has created original hologram artwork for many albums and soundtrack releases ranging from Jack White to Guns ‘n Roses and Star Wars, earning him the Clio Award in 2016.  His holographic album artwork has been featured on the Tonight Show, and in Rolling Stone, Forbes, The Verge, Gizmodo and many more.

A graduate of Naropa University’s contemplative, Interdisciplinary Studies Department, Duke is trained in the art of Japanese Tea Ceremony.

In 2010 Duke co-founded (with artist collaborators Lauren Bon and Rich Nielsen) the Optics Division of the Metabolic Studio.  Over the next 13 years he worked with Optics Division in a collective practice seeking to recontextualizing photography as a land-based medium and social practice.

He has shared his work internationally, including exhibitions, projects, and artist talks, partnering with institutions ranging from the MIT Media Lab to the Getty Museum, the Santa Fe Institute, Tamarind Institute, the de Young Museum, the Exploratorium, RISD, C|O Berlin, LACMA, MASS MoCA, and many others. tristanduke.com