Computer Stomp by Tom Franco

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Found objects, mixed media – laptop, climbing rope, playing cards, dice, wood and paint.

This piece was the first of its kind working with laptop computers.  Even to this day I get confused and call them lab-tops.  The computer screen is such a portal into another dimension of exploration and information overload, so this ongoing series explores the computer screen as a modernized canvas for painting pictures on.  I think more people look at screens today than art canvasses, so this piece really bridges the gap.  The foot on top of the screen came to be because of a coincidence of me finding both the computer and a drawing of a foot on a wood board sitting next to each other ready to be thrown out and I just got excited about attaching them together.  With many layers of paint later and a lot of mixed materials, it came out as Computer Stomp.  It could be seen as a reference to get off of the computer and go experience a live interaction with other people with references to watching theater, playing cards and board games.  But there are also video game references too, so it is pretty much a choose your own adventure type of narrative happening.