Spectacular Justice

Overview

Spectacular Justice is a Faculty Fellow research project that explores events and issues that lead to capital punishment in our society. The project, which will be presented as a media installation piece by Joyce Rudinsky, visual artist and associate professor in UNC’s department of communication studies, will create a unique experiential environment by surrounding viewers with a variety of elements: images, video, and audio, and audio recordings of moments, thoughts, and inputs surrounding the issue of capital punishment. Spectacular Justice will use the arts as a catalyst to engage in dialogue around this issue and will feature performances, photography, art exhibits, historical exhibits, films, student debate, lectures and discussions. Rudinsky’s work will be on display on the UNC campus sometime in spring 2008 as part of the Carolina Performing Arts’ year-long Criminal/Justice: The Death Penalty Examined project.

RENCI Contribution

RENCI visualization and collaborative technologies specialists will collaborate with Rudinsky to create a media installation that will surround viewers with images, and video and audio recordings that offer thoughts and insights on capital punishment. The system will have a spatial tracking system so that when viewers enter the installation, it will track their actions and focus of attention and then use that information to determine what to present next.

Funding

State of North Carolina

Collaborators

  • Joyce Rudinsky, associate professor, communication studies, UNC
  • Mark Robinson, department of communication studies, UNC

Project Team

  • Ray Idaszak, project manager
  • David Borland
  • Leesa Brieger
  • Jason Coposky
  • Dan Bedard
  • Warren Ginn