Outside of the University City Science Center on the east façade of 3440 Market Street, two nights of site-specific video installations will be visible as part of the Knight Arts grantee project “Animated Architecture” curated by Sean Stoops. On October 19 and 20 from 7-9 p.m., visitors to the viewing area can witness “Vector Equilibria” by Chris Landau.

A concept view and promotion for “Vector Equilibria.”

Landau created “Vector Equilibria” as an exploration and celebration of the impact that the work of Buckminster Fuller has had on the science, technology and culture of today. The video art will be accompanied by live musical compositions by Gene Coleman to mark the 50th anniversary of the University City Science Center. Through this work, we are invited to recall Buckminster Fuller’s connection to Philadelphia when, during the 1970s and 1980s, he was a World Fellow in Residence at the Science Center.

As a major influence on architecture, design and science throughout the 20th century, Fuller’s forward-thinking concepts helped to offer lasting insight into efficient and affordable means of transportation and shelter. Buckminster Fuller, of course, achieved international success with what remains one of his most recognizable inventions to this day: the geodesic dome.

“Vector Equilibria” with a different color scheme and from a distance, showing the surrounding area.

Both Landau and Coleman draw inspiration from connections to the futuristic and hopeful ways of imagining a different world courtesy the visionary endearingly referred to as ‘Bucky.’ Some of Coleman’s work has even directly referenced Fuller in recent years, including “9 Chains” and “Spiral Network.” The 3D video mapping projections don’t shy away from their source either, with round areas full of fragmented, geometric patterns, grids, triangles, colors and occasionally images of people or trees. These spherical, faceted forms are obvious nods to greenhouse-like geodesic structures, and the ongoing influence Buckminster Fuller has had on our contemporary world.

Although the visual segment of the installation will be on view for two nights, live music by Coleman will only be performed on the October 19; however the October 20 display will include recorded music. Make sure to stop by University City Science Center to check out the audio/video homage to Buckminster Fuller for “Vector Equilibria” and recognize the profound effects this man’s mind has had on our culture.

Unversity City Science Center is located at 3711 Market St., Philadelphia; [email protected]; sciencecenter.org.