UW-Eau Claire’s Foster Art Gallery is showcasing “Art + Tech,” an exhibit which combines both art and technology from local and international artists.

Although the presence of technology is not new for the gallery, gallery Director Tom Wagener said the way it’s incorporated sets this exhibit apart.

“This has a combination of very traditional artwork, such as ceramic pots,” Wagener said. “We have some prints that are done in a very traditional sense and then we have some really cutting-edge things going on. So it’s a very broad spectrum of art mediums.”

According to Wagener, the exhibit’s theme stems from a collaboration between UW-Eau Claire professors Sooyun Im, an associate professor in graphic design, and Mike McMann, an associate professor of computer science.  Wagener also said the artists featured in the exhibit were acquaintances of the pair.

“Im got her master’s degree at Iowa State and a number of these artists are from that University,” Wagener said. “Mike knew some from former dealings with them on different projects. Some of them were from word of mouth. Someone said you should really check out this artist, they have really cool things going on.”

McMann, who is also a curator for the showcase, said the price of running the exhibit as with more technology is a concern.

“One of the issues with having digital artwork shows is the sheer expense of the equipment and technology,” McMann said. “So as the department and gallery have been building up inventory, it has allowed us to show more art.”

The exhibit features a number of videos, kinetic pieces that are motion-censored and various computers and tablets that encourage interaction. Many of which incorporate music and sound effects that filled the gallery.

At Monday’s viewing, senior Dustin Schipper took his time exploring various pieces and their capabilities. Schipper said he likes how the exhibit joins old and new media in diverse forms. He also said he enjoys the realistic composition of the pieces.

“I also really like some of the renderings where they make these naturalistic scenes through very artificial processes,” Schipper said.  “It makes a dichotomy of materials and techniques.”

Wagener said he enjoys some pieces from a technological perspective and others from an aesthetic viewpoint. Unlike Wagener, McMann was less hesitant to pick a favorite.

“Don’t tell anybody else, but I think David Bowen’s piece reflects using the medium to its full advantage,” McMann said. “It doesn’t try to ape or mimic pre-existing medium and it really investigates the languages and the tools.”

The “Art + Tech” exhibit is open during gallery hours and will run until Feb. 13.