Riverland Community College

Tiberiu Chelcea works at the intersection of technology and map making. Chelcea has a doctorate in Computer Science from Columbia University, and the artist's atypical educational background contributes to a fresh interpretation of the environment- using the printed circuit board as a model.

Chelcea first selects and prints actual circuit boards using letterpress methods, and finishes with hand drawing and coloring. The resulting images are graphically bold, and their dramatic shapes reveal underlying connections between the organization of circuitry and our  "built world" visualizations. Components can suggest topological maps, detailed city plans, sky maps, or nighttime satellite views.

According to the artist, " these works blur the boundaries between man- made and the natural, reimagining the tiniest of engineered components as vast landmasses. They also illuminate the connections between the ancient art of mapmaking and the very contemporary art of electronic design. This is a constant theme in my practice: repurposing and re-contextualizing old technological products to uncover connections between new and old technologies".

The artist has exhibited in solo shows in Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Ames, Iowa. The artist has also taken part in over 50 group exhibitions regionally, nationally and internationally.