Andrew Zolty, a pioneer at the intersection of art and technology, co-founded a kinetic art BREAKFAST Studio in 2009. Based in Brooklyn, the studio has quickly become a leader in the creation of dynamic, data-driven sculptures that bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds. Zolty’s vision is to craft pieces that are not only visually stunning but also deeply meaningful, often using real-time data to tell compelling stories about our world. BREAKFAST’s innovative works, like the widely acclaimed Time Capsule Over Manhattan at Rockefeller Center, invite viewers to become part of the artwork itself, challenging them to engage with the environment in new and interactive ways.
hube: It usually takes something to ignite the spark of inspiration to start exploring the world of art. What initially inspired you to explore the intersection of design and technology, leading to the founding of BREAKFAST as a computer-driven kinetic art studio?
Andrew Zolty: As a young child, I was always engaged in art and loved taking apart electronics to see how they worked. Art and technology have always been my passions. In college and during my early career, I combined these passions by learning design and coding to create online interactive experiences. After ten years of pushing the limits of screen-based experiences, I saw an opportunity to bring our physical and digital worlds together through a more integrated software and hardware approach.
h: How do you approach the creation of kinetic artworks at BREAKFAST, particularly in terms of integrating software, hardware, and design elements?
AZ: The team at BREAKFAST is not just exceedingly talented in their core skills; most everyone is a jack of all trades. We design and engineer everything from scratch, seamlessly blending hardware and software to create truly unique and well-built artworks.