Robert Lawrence is an interdisciplinary artist. For the last 9 years he has expanded his work to creatively engage the unique conceptual opportunities of the Internet, particularly in the manner in which it facilitates his ongoing examination of issues of location, of ‘site’, of physical and cultural ‘position’. He approaches electronic art as “social sculpture” and he is very interested in the ways that digital technologies are reformulating the formerly restrictive rolls of media producer and media consumer. All his work is developed in two complimentary – and often contradictory - streams, one in the physical world and one in the virtual world. In this way he directly engages virtual/physical split with which contemporary life is negotiated.

Recent projects have addressed critical issues concerning genetic engineering as well as issues of land use and land ethics. He is currently developing several digital media projects based on research conducted during a 10 month Fulbright Fellowship in South East Asia. This work includes a public art project to be realized on the web and in New York Subways. (www.h-e-r-e.com/nycdna) The work combines a map of the NYC subway system with a section of a genetic map of human DNA to explore in a public venue the debate of biological vs social determination of human behavior. He is planning to implement this work in Underground public transit systems in several international cities.

Lawrence received his BA and MFA from the University of California at Berkeley and San Diego. His art is exhibited internationally and he has received numerous fellowships and awards including: NEA/Rockefeller Grant for Interdisciplinary Projects, Bush Foundation Artists Fellowship, Mcknight Foundation Fellowship, Jerome Foundation Grants for both Book Arts and for Media Arts Installations, and Film in the Cities Regional Grants for Film/Video. Lawrence is Associate Professor of Art, Director of Electronic Media, and Interim Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Center for Arts and Technology at the University of South Florida.
For more info visit www.h-e-r-e.com

Artist website: http://www.h-e-r-e.com