Digital and natural worlds collide in new Lincoln Museum exhibition

A woman stood in front a  light installation

Step inside the dazzling new projection exhibition that lets you influence the art on the walls.

CODED: Digital Art that Defies Definition opens at Lincoln Museum on Saturday 15 July, and features work by international artist, Marpi, who makes art from the language of coding and computers. And the exhibition has been given a local connection with a showcase of the life and legacy of 19th century Lincolnshire mathematician, George Boole, whose work forms the basis of much of computer language today.

This exhibition has been brought together to ask the question: what happens when code is set free? It explores how art made with code and computers can actually mimic organic forms from the natural world.

CODED features two interactive pieces by Marpi; the multi-screen Binary Garden, and creature-based works for the Island Series.

Binary Garden – first created in 2018 but specially adapted here for Lincoln Museum – merges algorithms, touchscreen and audio interaction, from both gallery visitors and others online.

The creatures from Marpi’s Island Series grow and change, responding to the movement and interaction from visitors.

Boole’s work will be explored in the Courtyard Gallery, which will be transformed into a classroom environment with a deep dive into the history and future of maths, and the life and times of George Boole.

Jenny Gleadell, exhibitions and interpretations officer at Lincoln Museum, explains:

“The usual museum rules go out the window for this exhibition; please DO touch the art on the touch screens, shout, sing, dance – and watch how the exhibitions around you reacts.

“By using motion detection technology, soundscapes and large-scale projections, each visitor will have a totally unique experience every time they come to see CODED, as it changes based on their different interactions.

“In the George Boole School, visitors can look back at how a teacher from Lincoln changed our world forever.

“Whether you just want to play around in front of the screens and enjoy the changing shapes, or you connect with the ideas on a deeper level, CODED is sure to get you thinking about maths and algorithms in a totally new way.”

This exhibition is ‘pay what you decide’. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us to bring exciting exhibitions like this one to life in Lincolnshire.

CODED: Digital Art that Defies Definition is on display at Lincoln Museum from 15 July to 10 September 2023. Plan your visit now at www.lincolnmuseum.com.

Published: 10th July 2023