SEATTLE, WA.- Originally designed as a tool for creating lively, engaging presentations, PowerPoint software has become at times, in the hands of the unimaginative, a medium for propagating clichés and numbing creativity. Fortunately, the software has caught the attention of artist and musician David Byrne. Byrne–leader in the ‘80’s of the band Talking Heads and now an acclaimed figure in contemporary music and visual art–has been working with PowerPoint as an artistic medium for a number of years. Although initially suspicious of the program’s applications in the business world, Byrne discovered artistic potential in PowerPoint’s bars, graphs and stock images, and phrases. By turning the software’s rational, practical structures to irrational applications, he found he could create works that were delightful, funny, and even poignant and moving.

Byrne’s work has previously been exhibited in Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles. He will be giving a PowerPoint performance in Kane Hall Room 130 on March 6th at 7pm. After the performance he will be available for signings of his recent book, E.E.E.I. (Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information), which is credited for marking the beginning of his exploration of PowerPoint as an artistic medium.