nterAccess is pleased to present SCALE, an exhibition that thinks big on a small scale by delving into the realm of nanotechnology. Hypothesizing a world where matter is built one molecule at a time, SCALE explores innovative methods of making new structures, materials and ways of thinking possible. Curator Camille Turner brings together molecular scientist John Storrs Hall, architects Philip Beesley and Will Elsworthy, and artist collaborative Ælab, (Stéphane Claude and Gisèle Trudel). The exhibition encourages viewers to imagine a future where programmable robots comprise 'the stuff that dreams are made of,' ephemeral objects are detected through energy exchange, and modular building materials can sense and respond to touch.

Please join us for a special opening reception on Saturday June 3, 6- 9 pm at InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre, 9 Ossington Avenue. John Storrs Hall, Philip Beesley, Will Elsworthy, Ælab and curator Camille Turner will be present. SCALE is presented in association with the 9th Annual Subtle Technologies Festival, June 1- 4, 2006. For more information about the festival please visit: http://www.subtletechnologies.com/news/index.html

More about the exhibition:

Utility Fog: The Stuff that Dreams Are Made Of is a theoretical building material developed by John Storrs Hall, a pioneer in the field of molecular nanotechnology. Capable of functioning much like Star Trek�s Holodeck, Utility Fog explores the hypothetical possibility of using tiny, self-replicating robots to create a 'material' that can make any desired shape or object tangible. Dr. Hall describes Utility Fog as "a kind of universal substance, programmable matter, that can simulate everything from air to solid rock." In the exhibition, Utility Fog is presented as a video loop that imagines the infinite ways that this remarkable �material� could be used.

John Storrs Hall is the author of Nano-Future: What�s Next for Nanotechnology, chief scientist of Nanorex Inc., Fellow of the Molecular Engineering Research Institute and Research Fellow of the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing. His research interests include the theory of self-reproducing machines, design of macroscopic machines and molecular manufacturing.

Implant Matrix is an interactive geotextile, (a new class of materials used for reinforcing landscapes and buildings), created by architects Philip Beesley and Will Elsworthy. Employing the nanotech principle of creating structures using "building blocks," Implant Matrix is constructed from thousands of flexible laser cut plexi-glass and Mylar units that are put together in a myriad of repeating and non-repeating patterns. Illuminated from the inside, the matrix is a model of organic precision, capable of sensing and responding to both touch and the environment. The embedded system in Implant Matrix is based on the platform produced by the Interaccess-sponsored AID project.

Philip Beesley is a Toronto-based architect that has earned several prestigious awards, including the Ontario Lieutenant Governor�s Medal for Architecture and the Prix de Rome for Architecture in 1995. He teaches at the School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo, where he also co-directs the Integrated Centre for Visualization, Design and Manufacturing. Will Elsworthy is an up-and-coming architect who has worked with Philip over the last two years to develop the complex three-dimensional 'lattice' system that is so beautifully featured in Implant Matrix.

Data: Series E (Data by design) is a multi-media manifestation of Ælab's fascination with the idea of objects that can�t be seen. During a residency at McGill�s University Chemistry Department�s Nanolab, Ælab gained access to specialized instruments such as the AFM (atomic force microscope) and the SEM (scanning electron microscope). This experience allowed them to collect data that represents the otherwise invisible micro and nano image. The resulting images are presented in two simultaneous 24-hour video projections on the gallery windows, accompanied by a minimalist 5.1-surround sound work that makes audible normally unheard sounds, such as micro electrical impulses and the "whine" of dormant machine rooms.

Ælab is a Montréal-based collective consisting of Stéphane Claude and Gisèle Trudel. Ælab seeks to reintroduce the world of animal/vegetal/minerals into the electronic arts. Ælab produces audiovisual essays, performances, web projects, databases, site-specific installations, publications, psycho-geographic walks, and audio recordings that are listened to in the dark. Stéphane Claude is an electronic musician and sound engineer. Gisèle Trudel is a media artist and professor at the École des art visuels et médiatiques, Université du Québec � Montréal. Their work has been shown internationally.

SCALE is presented by InterAccess in partnership with the 9th Annual Subtle Technologies Festival. For more information about the festival please visit: http://www.subtletechnologies.com/

InterAccess gratefully thanks the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Gallery hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 12- 5 pm
For more information contact: programming at interaccess.org