Get Grossed Out This Thursday!

Update: Online ticket sales are closed. A limited number of tickets will be available tonight to PAFA members and those who want to sign up for membership.

The other day, Sean mentioned that we’re helping with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ After Dark event this Thursday 3/31, called “Grossed Out”. Here’s another teaser.

PAFA has been opening up their beautiful, cavernous spaces on North Broad Street so people can get down with music, drinks and hands-on diy projects, all surrounded by super classy art. This Thursday’s event, Grossed Out, celebrates the famed “Gross Clinic” and PAFA’s new exhibit Anatomy/Academy. The exhibit examines “how Philadelphia’s dynamic art and science communities… fostered knowledge of the human body… transformed the attitudes of the public towards mental and physical health, and challenged conceptions about beauty.” Music and body-bending entertainment are courtesy of the Olde City Sideshow. Yes, glass eaters at the Academy!

Hive76 and The Hacktory are building four (!) different activities for this Thursday’s event. The Hacktory has posted some updates on our progress. Here are descriptions of the activities:

Life Sized Pin Art: The Hacktory waxes nostalgic with a giant pin art installation. Reminiscent of the popular toy from the 1980s where body impressions are made to look futuristic with sliding pins, this board allows participants to “pixelate” their bodies in 3-D.

Dancing With Myself: This Hacktory installation lets participants see themselves controlling graceful orbs of light with their bodies, just by gesturing in front of a screen. The magic is in a camera and the Processing programming language.

Bacteria Bots: At this Hive76 kiosk, participants can build a simple 5-minute robot to take home at the end of the night. During the event, these robots will perform a macro representation of bacteria in a petri dish. 100 micro robots demonstrating flageula locomotion common to various types of bacteria will buzz around a table and push each other around chaotically.

Writing Under The Microscope: Using a microscope and a simple machine called a “micromanipulator”, participants can inscribe words or images in very small detail on microscope slides or personal items that they bring. The concept is similar to micromanipulators used for very delicate surgery. By Hive76.

Last but not least, the Franklin Institute’s (ehem) giant game of Operation will also be on site.  Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The RSVP list is already pretty hefty, so pick yours up soon.

If you’re interested in previewing the activities or helping with final assembly, come to Hive76’s open house Wednesday night anytime after 7:30, or The Hacktory (1524 Brandywine Street) after 6:30. See you on Thursday!