Exploring Generative Books

Angelica “Angie” Bonilla developed a series of experimental drawing and printing processes mixing unconventional approaches with an axi-draw plotter with a series of traditional surfaces. Building on her experiences in Prof. Golan Levin’s “Drawing with Machines” class, her work grew to large scale collaborations with her BHA academic network in the Dietrich College’s Department the Languages Cultures and Applied Linguistics.

In April of 2024, she returned as an alumni and guest artist to unveil a large scale work installed in Posner Hall, “footsteps of a stranger.”

From the event’s press release:

“Fominaya’s partnership with LCAL stemmed from her undergraduate work with Felipe Gómez, teaching professor of Hispanic studies, and her contributions to organizing the 2023 Colombian Comics Symposium. The idea of the mural came from informal discussions with LCAL Department Head Anne Lambright and Director of the Askwith Kenner Global Languages & Cultures Room Stephan Caspar, who were familiar with Fominaya’s previous work. They aimed to create a piece that explored themes of hospitality and belonging, drawing inspiration from artists like Frank Miller, an American comic book artist. Fominaya, a proud Colombian, wanted the mural to reflect elements of Latin American culture and the importance of kindness and community in shaping one’s sense of belonging.

The mural includes interactive elements that allow for text to be swapped out in different languages over time, fostering ongoing conversations about hospitality and inclusivity. Fominaya hopes the piece will encourage reflection on how we interact with unfamiliar spaces and people, particularly in today’s global context of war, migration and displacement.”

The experiments supporting this work were made possible in part by the Frank-Ratchye Further Fund Microgrant #2022-012. All images from Dietrich College LCAL.