Exhibit: Warping the Future, by Francesca Rodriguez Sawaya and Renata Gaui

Warping the Future: How Craft Led To the Digital World As We Know It, is an interactive exhibition that explores the history of crafting and the history of computing. It is presented in three stations: "Humans as Machines" exploring the history of weaving by interacting with a variety of looms, including the backstrap loom, warp-weighted loom, tapestry loom, floor loom, and Jacquard loom; visitors will learn about the origin of weaving, how ancient societies used them and which materials they weaved with. "Humans Automating Machines" delves into the "punch card way" as the core intersection between programmed computers and looms; visitors are exposed to the origins of programming by learning the logic behind the punch cards. In "Machines as Humans", viewers can search for curated collection of projects that illustrate more contemporary connections between ancient and new technologies.

Francesca Rodriguez Sawaya is a Peruvian creative producer and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. Francesca is a Lead Teacher in NYC First where she develops curriculum, manage a Maker Space and teach STEAM related subjects to low income communities. Her workshops include Creativity Lab at Brooklyn Museum and Tangible Data in Ahmedabad, India. Francesca earned an MPS in Interactive Telecommunications from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, a BA in Communication from the University of Lima, and a Diploma in Audiovisual Education from the University of Salamanca.

Renata de Carvalho Gaui is a Brazilian designer, artist, and creative technologist based in Brooklyn, New York. A "jill of all trades within art, design, and technology," Renata has engaged in numerous projects with positive educational impact, including Beyond Punch Cards, Weaving to Code, Coding to Weave; and The Art of Living, the 2018 Myers Fund Art Commission. She holds an MPS in Interactive Telecommunications from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, and a BFA in Design and Digital Media from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

The virtual exhibit uses augmented reality and launches February 11th, with the artists' talk. Guest talks with participating artists will be conducted at the same time, Thursdays, 6:30-7:15pm, via video conference on the following dates:

In Conversation with Pam Liou, Thursday, 2/18

In Conversation with Alex McLean, Thursday, 2/25

In Conversation with Indira Allegra, Thursday, 3/4

Also please check out Warping the Future: A New Book Display, curated by artists Francesca Rodriguez Sewaya and Renata de Carvalho Gaui in collaboration with library staff.

Read the blog, The Weft Thread: Interweaving Teachers College, for insight on weaving in the curriculum.

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Made possible by a trust founded by Colonel Eugene Myers, which funds art education initiatives at Teachers College, the Gottesman Libraries Art Commission has brought relevant art content to the patrons of the Gottesman Libraries for many years. The aim of the Gottesman Libraries Art Commission is to create art experiences in the library that present themes of education, learning, and libraries through innovative work. In the last few years an effort to incorporate interaction and technology has been made in order to expose audiences to ideas and methods that are not part of traditional educational curriculum.

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To request disability-related accommodations contact OASID at oasid@tc.edu, (212) 678-3689, or (646) 755-3144 video phone, as early as possible.