Arts Department

The Department of the Arts at Rensselaer was founded in 1972. It is built around a world class faculty and is dedicated to interdisciplinary creative research in electronic arts. We offer a unique environment in which to develop and realize innovative art within a technological university.

The studios and the program have historically been referred to as iEAR (Integrated Electronic Arts at Rensselaer). The studios provide specialized facilities for students, faculty and visiting artists to engage in individual and collaborative research projects.

iEAR Presents! is a series of public performances, exhibitions, screenings and lectures.  Curated by artist faculty, iEAR Presents! seeks to bring artists into a creative dialogue regarding integrated electronic arts practice and theory with a participatory community of faculty and students from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and members of the general public.

The iEAR Presents! Spring 2008 season features four events on the theme of “Art and Islam: Electronic Representations and Local Communities”.  Four artists-in-residence will provide context and responses to the theme by producing collaborative work with interdisciplinary electronic artists, faculty and students at the iEAR Studios.  Special attention will be given to networking international artists with the local, and considering connections between communities of Troy, NY and the communities of the visiting artists from Iraq, Malaysia, Indonesia, and England.