Technologies
Blowmolding at G.E. Plastics

Eric Rudd realized his first blowmolded sculptures in 1987, with the generous support of G.E. Plastics. Blowmolding is an industrial process of heating polycarbonates and forming a parison shape, then expanding the parison into forms by the use of air. Normally, products are formed by capturing the parison inside of molds, and expanding the material against the inside of the mold. Rudd created his sculptures by hand forming each shape, similar to traditional glassblowing, but in a gigantic scale not possible with glass.

Lexan is G.E. Plastic's premier polycarbonate, and depending on thickness, can be bullet proof and clear or made with colors. The blowmolding film segment was filmed by G.E. Plastics in 1988 while Rudd was creating sculptures during an artist's residency. The shorter segment, filmed in 1992 with G.E.'s Bruce Harper, demonstrates Rudd's three dimensional continuous "drawing" technique. We would like to acknowledge G.E. Plastics' assistance in helping with this creative process early on.

Rigid, spray-in-place polyurethane foam is a two component mixture. Within seconds of being sprayed from industrial equipment, the liquid mixture expands thirty times its original size, forms a cellular material and hardens. After earlier experimentation, artist Eric Rudd purchased industrial foam equipment from Gusmer Corporation in 1973 and uses polyurethane foam from Mobay Corporation (distributed by Stepan Corporation). Rudd has used this process extensively in much of his art since then. Although light weight, polyurethane foam nevertheless has structural strength and can be used to create large sculptures with or without skeleton supports. The industrial spray equipment allows Rudd to build up forms in a very free manner, and to realize ideas impossible with more traditional materials.

Foaming, with Eric Rudd was filmed in 1977 by Alison Rose and Neil Printz. We would like to acknowledge Mobay Corporation's contribution of materials for the Dark Ride Project.

Although conceived of years earlier, actual construction of the Dark Ride Project didn't begin until space was available in the summer of 1995. Along with artist Martin Hatcher, who masterminded the actual construction of the Sensory Integrator, making the computer controls and other electronic sensors work together in harmony, project assistant Joyce Wing, futuristic industrial designer Harry Brad Smith, artist David Zaig, and a crew of hard working interns (Sabra Crockett, Julie Busby, Masako Takagi, Nikolai Rudd, Robbin Malbon, Martine Strohmeyer, David Cariddi) all worked with artist Eric Rudd to make the project a reality. Starting with raw space, modular rooms and chambers were designed and built, the garden space was broken up into a surreal landscape, and hundreds of gallons of dark paint and polyurethane foam were applied. Meanwhile, the Integrator developed from a metal skeleton to a working robotic machine. With the addition of multi-media and display elements, the combined efforts needed only an audience to appreciate the result of thousands of hours of work.

The Dark Ride Project uses an original concept- a chair/vehicle that can move about a museum space, with or without other people walking, in a route that is planned by the artist or curator. By using recently developed robotic technologies, packaged with systems of control signals, elements of the exhibition are controlled to move and change while the viewer is present. Sound is added and synchronized with the visual stimulation. And because it is a ride during which a specific amount of time elapses, accumulation of visual materials make it more interesting, just as a movie may draw more attention than a series of stills.

The Sensory Integator (and commercial variations of it for future general museum use as well as in other applications) is user friendly, both for the viewer, and for the museum. It is easy to change routes and add sequences. It is quiet, safe and attractive. It will stop if someone gets off, if someone gets in the way or even if it ventures off the planned route. If it gets delayed, the program automatically calibrates again. Most importantly, all the viewer has to do is sit down and enjoy the show. The Sensory Integrator will do everything for the viewer.

The version used in the Dark Ride Project is intended to be intimidating. In other applications, the viewer will have limited control to shorten or lengthen the tour, or even to venture off independently for a while. This will also make it easier for viewers with physical disabilities who wish to also explore galleries open to a walking audience.