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Home › News & Events › News › Joe Farbrook Creates Permanent Installation for Meow Wolf

Joe Farbrook Creates Permanent Installation for Meow Wolf

April 21, 2021

Associate Professor Joseph Farbrook’s (3D & Extended Media) interactive art installation “Soul Crushing Machine” is featured as a permanent installation in Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, now open in Las Vegas. Farbrook’s installation proposal was commissioned two years ago by Meow Wolf but, due to pandemic delays, Omega Mart’s opening was postponed until 2021.

“Soul Crushing Machine” is a multi-room interactive installation featuring 3D printed diorama, kinetic crushing mechanism, interactive video screens, plus a transparent display attached to a live feed of participants walking through a separate capture area, installed on a different level. Other interactive elements include touch screen sliders and actuators that manipulate a mix of various audio components. Soul Crushing Machine is a visual and rhetorical critique on corporate culture and the commercialization of the mind.

“Designing and building an interactive art installation that could withstand being handled by thousands or even millions of visitors over time was an extraordinary learning experience,” said Farbrook.

“The thought and skills required to go from concept to completion turned into a great expansion of my art practice. Eric Norman in the SOA shop taught me enough welding skills to build the metal framework. The armature for the crushing mechanism required drilling, milling, and mechanical design skills that I acquired at Xerocraft. In creating the diorama itself, I modeled, 3D printed, and painted over 100 parts. I created a series of video animations for the embedded screens, which are all powered by micro-computers. The audio elements required designing digital sound synthesis modules as well as programming a controller interface.

“Working with a large organization like Meow Wolf was a terrific experience and I hope to contribute to future installations as well as to other organizations that are creating immersive art experiences,” Farbrook added.

View a preview of “Soul Crushing Machine” here: https://youtu.be/8pOymRjRcwA

Visit Joe Farbrook’s website.


About Omega Mart

Meow Wolf’s second permanent installation, Omega Mart, is an interactive, mind-bending art experience. Participants explore an extraordinary supermarket that bursts into surreal worlds and unexpected landscapes. Astonishing. Unpredictable. Mind-bending. Featuring jaw-dropping work from international and local artists, Omega Mart is an experience in imagination and immersive storytelling. Discover secret portals or simply soak up the innovative art as you venture beyond an interactive supermarket into parts unknown. You have no idea what’s in-store for you!

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University of Arizona School of Art
2 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

The College of Fine Arts honored 2023 Alumnus of the Year John Meyer (BFA '82, Studio Art) last night in the School of Art atrium. Before the reception, John conducted portfolio reviews with eight students. He's being honored by the university at a luncheon today. Arizona Arts The University of Arizona ... See MoreSee Less

The College of Fine Arts honored 2023 Alumnus of the Year John Meyer (BFA 82, Studio Art) last night in the School of Art atrium. Before the reception, John conducted portfolio reviews with eight students. Hes being honored by the university at a luncheon today. Arizona Arts The University of ArizonaImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment
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University of Arizona School of Art
3 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Congrats to Nathan Abel (MFA '09, Printmaking), who will host the opening reception for his exhibition "Nesting" on Friday, Feb. 3, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyoming.

"In Nesting, the work tells the story of when my wife and I began planning a family. We anticipated problems but had no idea of the long and traumatic path ahead of us. It is through my work I hope to shed light on infertility, child loss, and adoption. I want to show the hardships and joy that can come with creating a family and honor the experience we and so many others have been through." - Nathan Abel

Arizona Arts @uarizona The Nicolaysen Art Museum
... See MoreSee Less

Congrats to Nathan Abel (MFA 09, Printmaking), who will host the opening reception for his exhibition Nesting on Friday, Feb. 3, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyoming. 

In Nesting, the work tells the story of when my wife and I began planning a family. We anticipated problems but had no idea of the long and traumatic path ahead of us. It is through my work I hope to shed light on infertility, child loss, and adoption. I want to show the hardships and joy that can come with creating a family and honor the experience we and so many others have been through. - Nathan Abel

Arizona Arts @uarizona The Nicolaysen Art Museum
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University of Arizona School of Art
4 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

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Thanks to Peter Pappas, a School of Art Advisory Board member, who kicked off our five-part Student Development Series with a workshop on Career Paths for Artists. Future Tuesday workshops are Marketing for Artists (Feb. 28), Working with Galleries (March 21), Legal Tools for Protecting Your Work (April 4) and Life Lessons from Art Alumni (April 25). Arizona Arts The University of Arizona University of Arizona Museum of Art
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University of Arizona School of Art
4 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

John Meyer (BFA '82, Studio Art) will be honored Thursday as the College of Fine Arts' Alumnus of the Year. He calls his Walgreens branding campaign ("At the Corner of Happy & Healthy") as his favorite. Go to tinyurl.com/SOAMeyerprof to read his profile. @absolutmeyer @uarizona ... See MoreSee Less

John Meyer (BFA 82, Studio Art) will be honored Thursday as the College of Fine Arts Alumnus of the Year. He calls his Walgreens branding campaign (At the Corner of Happy & Healthy) as his favorite. Go to https://tinyurl.com/SOAMeyerprof to read his profile. @absolutmeyer @uarizona
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University of Arizona School of Art
5 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

The Rodeo de Tucson Group Show features four paintings by Moira Geoffrion, chair of the School of Art Advisory Board and professor emerita. The opening reception is Friday, Feb. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Medicine Man Gallery, 6872 E. Sunrise Drive. The show will showcase more than 30 artists, including Howard Post (BFA '72, MFA '78). Go to tinyurl.com/y6uases9 for more details. Arizona Arts The University of Arizona Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery ... See MoreSee Less

The Rodeo de Tucson Group Show features four paintings by Moira Geoffrion, chair of the School of Art Advisory Board and professor emerita. The opening reception is Friday, Feb. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Medicine Man Gallery, 6872 E. Sunrise Drive. The show will showcase more than 30 artists, including Howard Post (BFA 72, MFA 78). Go to https://tinyurl.com/y6uases9 for more details. Arizona Arts The University of Arizona Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery
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University of Arizona School of Art
6 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Congrats to Dwayne Manuel (MFA '14), whose art collaboration with the Phoenix Suns was featured on the team's main scoreboard last week. www.dwaynemanuel.com/ ... See MoreSee Less

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