The Digital Canvas

Scott Snibbe uses his knowledge of computer science and filmmaking to create artwork that interprets scientific ideas.

"As an artist, i conceive of an idea and let my mind range widely, often having no idea how i will actually create the work. Then, i put on my engineer’s hat and start investigating which technologies will achieve my vision."

—Scott Snibbe

Snibbe's parents were both sculptors who worked with technology. Instead of television, his family's entertainment was making sculptures in our family workshop. His main influence is experimental film and animation — especially the work of Len Lye, who made films without a camera by painting, scratching and stenciling directly onto motion picture celluloid.

At Science & Art, “meet” Scott Snibbe — electronic artist, computer scientist and science communicator. Snibbe's piece, Three Drops, is a full-body, multimedia experience that will introduce you to the concept of nano-scale in a way that only art can do. As you move in front of a large screen, you interact with projections of water at the macro, micro and nano-scale, you will really be able to see how the physical properties of water change at the different scales. Explore how at this tiny scale, the physical laws we are used to don’t always apply. Nano-science is a pioneering and yet very abstract area of science and offers new and possibly lifesaving technologies. At the same time, these technologies present challenging issues. Some artists, such as Scott Snibbe, have been working to explore and explain this new area of science. Their work can help educate a public that will be making decisions about how and when nanotechnology should be used.

Scott Snibbe creates immersive interactive art that evokes powerful emotions and inspires social engagement. His works are known for fostering a sense of interdependence, promoting social interaction among strangers, and increasing viewers’ concentration. His artworks have been installed in more than one hundred art museums, performance spaces, science museums and public spaces worldwide since 1995. Snibbe holds a Bachelor of Arts degrees in computer science and fine art and a Master of Arts degree in computer science from Brown University. Snibbe worked at Adobe Systems as a computer scientist where he made substantial contributions to the special effects software Adobe After Effects and research projects at Adobe Research.