THE SKULL (FEMALE), 2015
80" by 54" archival pigment print, 2015
Inspired by the 1951 collaboration between Philippe Halsman and Salvador Dali entitled "In Voluptate Mors". "Skull" represents the fusion of love and death or death in the voluptuous. Photographer Halsman is quoted as saying "Every face I see seems to hide - and sometimes fleetingly reveal - the mystery of another human being."
Red Shoes, 2021
Shelley Lake, Red Shoes, 2021, simulated GIF
UP
72" by 40" archival pigment print, 2015
Emily 2.0, 2019
104” tall by 80” wide
archival inkjet on Lexjet peel-n-stick fabric
UFO, 2015
80" by 54" archival pigment print, 2016
Planet Venus
After more than 25,000 years, the Venus of Willendorf is finally getting exactly what she wants. Instead of passively waiting for someone else to fulfill her desires, the Venus of Willendorf has gained a foothold in the gravity field.
Shelley Lake, Planet Venus, 2021, digital scene simulation, 39 frame GIF
EX MACHINA (VERTICAL)
80" by 50" archival pigment print, 2017
EMDR
EMDR, 2023
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
SON OF MAN, 2015
70" by 46", archival pigment print, 2015
Dog Walk, 32 frame animated GIF, 2021
Three dimensional scene simulation with motion capture applied to dog model
Novak and Monique, 2020
Three dimensional scene simulation in partial fulfillment of SVA Master of Fine Arts degree
THE HEALING ARTISTS
30" by 40" archival pigment print, 2015
FREESTYLE, 2020
56 frame GIF animation
All is Full of Love GIF
All is Full of Love by Shelley Lake, 2020
90 frame Simulated loop cycle
600 x 480 animated GIF
The Large Glass No. 3
Shelley Lake, The Large Glass No. 3, 2019, digital scene simulation, 80 x 40 inches
Version with eye gaze at viewer
Jeremiah Crosswalk
Falling Man, 2020
Shelley Lake, Falling Man, 2020, 34 frame Simulated walk cycle
Appropriated from Ernest Trova:
“Ernest Trova (1927-2009) was an artist best known for his “Falling Man” series. Born in Clayton, Missouri, he was influenced by his father who worked as an industrial tool designer and inventor. Upon his father’s death shortly after Trova’s high school graduation, he found a job as a window dresser for a large department store. As a self-taught artist, he was inspired by painters Francis Bacon, Jean Dubuffet and Willem DeKooning but was also artistically influenced by the mannequins with which he worked, evident in his oeuvre.
Trova rose to prominence in the art world in the 1960s with his “Falling Man” paintings, prints, and sculptures featuring an armless human figure, which he considered “man at his most imperfect.” A solo exhibition of his paintings inaugurated the Pace Gallery in New York in 1963, where he continued to exhibit for more than 20 years.
He continued “Falling Man” through the 1970s and 80s and over the years, the sculpture was created with various materials such as nickel and chrome-plated bronze, enamel on aluminum, and stainless steel and each was finished with an industrial sheen. In 1975 he co-founded Laumeier Sculpture Park with a gift of more than 40 large-scale artworks to St. Louis County.
Trova’s work is represented in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Tate Gallery, among others. He is survived by three children.”
Mouse, 2021
Animated GIF created at the School of Visual Arts, New York City in fulfillment of the Art Practice, Master of Fine Arts Degree
Venus of Willendorf, 2024
A timeless symbol of fertility, the Venus of Willendorf has finally gained a foothold in the gravity field. After more than 25,000 years, the anonymous grande dame continues to stand tall, in defiance to the objectification of women.
Stefon Breathing
191 frame Animated breath cycle
Venus of Willendorf
Shelley Lake, Venus of Willendorf, 2020, 38 frame walk cycle simulation
After more than 25,000 years, the Venus of Willendorf is finally getting exactly what she wants. Instead of passively waiting for someone else to fulfill her desires, the Venus of Willendorf has gained a foothold in the gravity field. Hot pink expresses her sexual identity, quintessentially female—a timeless symbol of fertility,
Best of Show, Orlando Museum of Art, First Thursdays, Bella Donna, 4 March 2021
Jeremiah Walk Cycle Composite, 2020
137 frame Animated walk cycle. The body is a roadmap for beauty and the spirit gate into creation–our common denominator and inescapable temple.
Infinity
Zbrush Turntable GIF
Black and Blue, 2020
39 frame looping simulation
The Large Glass
Shelley Lake, The Large Glass, 2019, inflatable vinyl with camera, 60 x 28 x 24 inches
Jeremiah Walk Cycle
Thirty five frame walk cycle for Jeremiah.
Digital Scene Simulation, April 2020
Salsa, 2021
Animated GIF in partial fulfillment of the Art Practice, Master of Fine Arts Degree, School of Visual Arts, New York City
FALLING, 2021
Handshake, 2019
Handshake by Shelley Lake
60 by 80 inches
digital pigment print
Infinity
48” by 86” digital pigment print, 2019
Going Backward
39 frame GIF animation, digital scene simulation, three seconds, 2020
DIAMOND EYES
The Gaze
Great White Female
Shelley Lake, Cross Crawl, 2020, simulated GIF
Eye
Eye by Shelley Lake
62 by 66 inches
digital pigment print
Infinity three dimensional powder print, 2020
Three dimensional powder print mastered at the School of Visual Arts, New York City. Requirement for Master of Fine Arts Degree, Art Practice program at SVA.
Escape Artist, 2020
Escape Artist by Shelley Lake, digital scene simulation, 2020 (Sam Taylor-Johnson appropriation)
Monique walk cycle, 2020
Six Directions, 2020-07-28
ENDLESS LOVE
Kabuki Theater
Begun in 1603, Kabuki theater is a traditional form of Japanese dance drama. The aragoto exaggerated theatrical style employs bold red, blue, brown, or black markings over a white base. Red kumadori stage makeup expresses heroic strength, passion, and positive emotions.
THE ENDLESS SUMMER
OLYMPUS, 2020
48” by 84” archival pigment print
Gender and race reversal of Manet’s 1863 depiction of Olympia
SUPERMAN
80" by 46" archival pigment print, 2016
“THE RIGID CHARACTER STRUCTURE
This structure arises out of the rejection by a parent of the child’s love. The child experienced a sense of betrayal and heartbreak. In self-defense he armored himself or set up his guard against expressing love too openly for fear of betrayal. His illusion or self-image is that he is the loving person whose love is not appreciated.
The rigid character is afraid to give in, equating this with submission and collapse. The rigid character is on guard against being taken advantage of, being used or trapped. His guardedness takes the form of holding back on impulses to open and reach out. The main areas of tension are the long muscles of the body.
The body of the rigid character is proportionate and harmonious in its parts. The body looks and feels integrated and connected. An important characteristic is the aliveness of the body: bright eyes, good skin color, aliveness of gesture and movement.
Individuals with the character structure generally are worldly-oriented, ambitious, competitive and aggressive. Passivity is experienced as vulnerability.
The rigid character can be stubborn, but he is rarely spiteful. In part his stubbornness derives from his pride; he is afraid that if he lets go, he may look foolish, so he holds back. In part it derives from his fear that submission would entail a loss of freedom.”
– Alexander Lowen, Bioenergetics
THE LOVERS, 2015
28" by 30" archival pigment print, 2015
KESHA, 2016
80" by 42" archival pigment print, 2016
PRIMAVERA
54" by 80" archival pigment print 2016
SUPERGIRL
80" by 54" archival pigment print, 2016
CORPUS HYPERCUBUS
Catwoman, 2017
Ethereum, 2021, GitR0n1n, CC BY-SA 4.0
Shelley Lake, Ethereum, 2021, digital asset, GitR0n1n, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
All is Full of Love
All is Full of Love by Shelley Lake
Digital Scene Simulation
54” by 74” digital pigment print
Tied Up
GENIUS OF LOVE
KRYPTONITE
Giant of Karisimbi
Giant of Karisimbi by Shelley Lake, digital scene simulation, 2020
SUPERMAN ANIMATION
BLACK KNIGHT
80" by 38" archival pigment print, 2016.
Letting go of control and unleashing the power inside the machine is an intoxicating adventure where uncertainty takes center stage.
BALLOON CLOWN
TAI CHI
TAI CHI, 2017
Every part of a character’s anatomy is nuanced into shape using interactive tools in the computer. The width of the calf relative to the length of the lower leg, the angle of the ankle in relation to the ground plane, each joint is moved into place like an electronic marionette. One of the most difficult challenges in the digital domain is to impart gravity to the figure. In the art of Tai Chi one drops into their center of gravity and paradoxically defies gravity in the movement.
YIN YANG
FUR TRADER
WOLF KING
SERPENTINE, 2015
80" by 54" archival pigment print, 2015
SURI
TATTOO
80" by 30" archival pigment print, 2016.
Each joint is moved into place - like an electronic marionette.
STALKER
THE PHOTOGRAPHER
80" by 30" archival pigment print, 2015
The Shooter
RING FAIRY
Shelley Lake, Superhero, 2015-2021
APHRODITE
PAPILLION
48" by 30" archival pigment print, 2016
VOODOO
80" by 30" archival pigment print, 2016
EX MACHINA (HORIZONTAL)
RB
GEISHA
34" by 30" archival pigment print, 2015
FIREFOX
THE ARTIST
PUSSY CAT
TRUMP
Official White House Portrait of Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States of America
iBot
iBot, 2015
30” wide by 24” tall
Exhibition Matte Canvas with Gloss Laminate
EMILY 2.0
EMILY 2.0, 2017
48” by 60” archival pigment print
Emily O’Brien is the star of the Wikihuman project whose mission is "dedicated to the studying, understanding, challenging and sharing knowledge of Digital Humans". O’Brien earned an Emmy Award nomination owing to her performance on “The Young and the Restless”. Her face was scanned in 2008 and again at higher resolution in 2015. Pictured here is the three dimensional wireframe model from her scan in 2015 from the Digital Human League at the University of Southern California.
This wireframe 3d stereo anaglyph was rendered with Adobe Photoshop CC. Adobe Photoshop was early to support the render of three dimensional models and is still my first choice for ultra high resolution wireframe rendering. Photoshop allows complete control over line width, color, ambience, hidden line removal, crease threshold, cross sectioning and shading. In addition to extraordinary polygonal mesh control, Photoshop also allows for the creation of stereo anaglyphs automatically rendering color opposites red and cyan for images viewed with colored glasses.
THE PASSION
Suri Closeup
Suri Closeup, 2015
30” wide by 18” tall
Exhibition Matte Canvas with Gloss Laminate
Orlando Strong
The 49 victims of the Orlando nightclub massacre that took place June 12, 2016 at Pulse, a LGBT bar hosting Latin Night. Digital mosaic of victims represented in the LGBT freedom flag. The colors were designed to symbolize life, healing, sunlight, nature, harmony and spirit.
ANGELICA
INFINITE LOOP, 2012
Photoshop render of character created in Daz3D
DANCING KING
FALLING
DEAD CAN DANCE
HEAVEN'S DOOR
ANOREXIC TANGO
FLYING WOLENDAS
THE KISS
FOX TROT
THE POLITICIANS
OVER THE SHOULDER
BLACKHAWK DOWN
HOMELAND
PISTOL
MODERN FAMILY
Party Doll
HELL IN HEELS
80" by 30" archival pigment print, 2014.
With large format inkjet printing, I'm able to represent each portrait larger than life, making for an immersive experience.
MONSTER
Frankenstein: Digital mosaic of images from the Bush Administration.
54” by 80” matte canvas archival print
FACE OFF
SLASH
HAIL MARY
THINK
YODA
Yoda by Shelley Lake
Stereo Anaglyph, digital scene simulation
36” by 54” digital pigment print
LOVE TRIANGLE, 2012
Generic characters rendered in Adobe Photoshop
MACPAINT
6 by 8 foot digital print from 1988
Courtesy Apple Computer, Inc.
GENERIC
GENERIC
Stack of Generic Art originals in an edition of 25. Six art movements represented in each set: Op, Pop, Minimalism, Simulationism, Conceptualism and Abex.
Installation view of "Generic" show at Natoli-Ross Gallery, Los Angeles, 1988
Collaboration with Richard Duardo
Generic Art Exhibition (1988)
Generic Art Exhibition at Natoli-Ross Gallery, Los Angeles, California. Inaugural exhibition featuring the collaboration of Richard Duardo and Shelley Lake.
GENERIC
Installation view of "Generic" show at Natoli-Ross Gallery, Los Angeles, 1988
Collaboration with Richard Duardo
PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT
Electronic Digital Display with paper dispenser.
Installation view, 1988 at Natoli-Ross Gallery, Santa Monica, California
CONCEPTUALISM
Generic Conceptualism, enamel on aluminum, 1988
RICHARD KUHLENSCHMIDT
Kuhlenschmidt was a pioneer in the Los Angeles art scene during the 1980's. Laser capture 1987.
Stuart Regen
Stuart Regen, 1987
Laser Scan of Stuart Regen. Half resolution plot captured at Cyberware Laboratory in Woodland Hills, California.
STUART REGEN, 1987
Zbrush turntable animation of 3d Print created at Cyberware in 1987
3D printing with Stratasys Fortus 450 MC
ASA Light Gray with T12 Tip and double dense walls
Build Size limitations: 16 x 14 x 16 inches
Production grade thermoplastic
STUART REGEN
Computer Generated three dimensional styrofoam print made in 1987. Early experiment in three-dimensional printmaking. Portrait of Stuart Regen, the Los Angeles art dealer who also helped produce "Leaving Las Vegas". Regen was the son of prominent New York art dealer Barbara Gladstone.
Early experiments in 3D Printing 1987.
2019 Reprint of portrait created with Fortis 450 MC ASA Light Gray with T12 tip and double dense walls.
MASK
Computer generated wireframe mask from Digital Productions, 1985
TEAPOT
Still from 3 minute computer generated movie, "Polly Gone"
IRON
Still from 3 minute computer generated movie, "Polly Gone"
WHITE COLLAR
PREDICTA
Simulation of First remote controlled television set
ON
Appropriation from Roy Lichtenstein "ON"
MILLENIUM, 1983
Three dimensional simulation from plaster casts created by Diana Walczak for the motion picture, "Millenium".
Computer metamorphological render demonstrating "in-betweens" in a 15 frame animation. Created using DP3D, proprietary Three Dimensional Scene Simulation software written by a software team assembled by Gary Demos and John Whitney, Jr. at Digital Productions, Hollywood.
BOWL
CHESS
Simulation of Chess set design inspired by a Marcel Duchamp sculpture at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Duchamp and Man Ray played chess using a board with pieces similar to this design.
FRUIT
Still frame from a 30 second commercial for Trix cereal. Background plate used for advertisement with composite rabbit animation. Alan Battino Art Direction. 1984.
TINK, 1984
The source image for Tink was created in 1984 at Digital Productions. We were the first motion picture company to simulate a Disney character. A large sculpture of Tinker Bell’s head was overlaid with a grid and captured one point at a time on a 3d digitizing tablet. This archival pigment print was created from a computer printout made in our Hollywood studio.
ONE THOUSAND QUESTION MARKS
EARLY EXPERIMENTS IN GENERATIVE ART
The computer is changing the way we make art. Letting go of control and unleashing the power inside the machine is an adventure where uncertainty takes center stage.
With this early experiment in simulation, "One Thousand Question Marks", the computer was liberated to randomly rotate and place one thousand question marks in three space. The color of each question mark was also randomized. The final image was rendered in 1984 at Digital Productions in Hollywood, California and mastered on 4 by 5 film with a digital film printer.
This style of generative art delegates considerable authority to the computer.
$100,000
Movie money in a random distribution
INSTRUMENTS
Musical Instruments in a random distribution
GEOMETRIC PRIMITIVES
Cubes, cones and Spheres in a random distribution. Generative Art.
Pat Hearn, Polaroid Photograph, 1980
Photograph of Pat Hearn in Provincetown, Massachusetts, 1980.
Pat Hearn, Polaroid Photograph, 1979
Polaroid photograph of Pat Hearn. Hearn was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
ARS ELECTRONICA, 1980
Early experiments in slow scan portraiture of Tina Weymouth, as published in ARS ELECTRONICA, 1980.
As a fellow at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies, M.I.T., Lake captured the likeness of Tina Weymouth. Digital portraits were computer generated using the Ramtek 9300 raster display frame buffers at the Architecture Machine Group, now know as the MIT Media Lab. These are integrated 9-bit systems with 24-bit color in the color matrix. The resolution of these picture memories is 640 by 480, a total of 307,200 picture elements.
Facial distortion is the result of movements made by Weymouth during the 20 second sweep of the flying spot scanner (a device similar to a television camera). The bottom plate is pseudo colored.
Kodchrome 25, 1/15 second at f/4.
ACCELERATION, 1977
Multistrobe photograph demonstrating how a hammer accelerates with gravity, November 2, 1977
By exercising simple methods in photo-instrumentation (Model 533 Multiflash unit), high speed multiple-image photographs were made useful as a data base from which we could extract otherwise unseen events for analysis.
ANALYSIS OF A HAMMER IN FREE FALL - RATE OF CHANGE
According to Newton’s theory (first law-momentum), the product of a body’s mass and velocity is constant if no outside force is applied to it, the change in momentum is zero. The second law (for force) states that the force of gravity accelerates a body in the direction it is already moving, and so speeds it up uniformly at the rate 32 feet per seconds squared.
Intuitively, the picture of the hammer falling appears to adhere to this law of gravity/acceleration.
Tri-X film (4 by 5) 20 flashes per second, 1.0 millisecond exposure per flash, total exposure 20 milliseconds
Photographed at the Edgerton Strobe Laboratory, M.I.T,
HERSHEY, 1977
22 caliber bullet passing through a Hershey Bar, 1977
Bullet Photography
By employing microphone sensing to micro flash techniques, interactive effects of a projectile acting upon a stationary object are frozen for analysis.
A peak wave form 2.5 bullet diameters from central penetration is evidenced in this photograph. It is possible that for any bullet whose width is D, an exit wave peak will occur 2.5 D from impact.
Tri-X film (4 by 5 ASA 400) f/16
Photographed at the Edgerton Strobe Laboratory, M.I.T. under the direction of Professor Harold Edgerton and Charles Miller (October 5, 1977)