Monday, March 27, 2023

Elizabeth Koprucki

Artist :: Maker :: Educator :: Technologist

“Making Spaces, Making Objects.”

Bio

Elizabeth Koprucki (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist and maker professional. She serves as the Assistant Director, Fab Lab and Design at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She manages the Polsky Center’s Fab Lab where she mentors entrepreneurs and researchers through the prototyping process. Prior to joining Polsky, Elizabeth also worked as a maker educator at the Art Institute and the Chicago Public Library. She served as CNC area host at Pumping Station One and has done graphic design for a number of South Side businesses and nonprofits.

Elizabeth is passionate about getting people interested in science, technology, and art, and especially in their intersection. They have served as a Solar System Ambassador since 2014, presenting image processing, robotic spaceflight, and the history of the Jet Propulsion Lab to many audiences, including the maker community. Their current and future art explores the history of science and technology and the physicality of the digital world.

Artist Statement

My art lives at the intersection of old and new media. I sculpt jewelry from copper and silver wire, incorporating semiprecious stones, glass, and other materials with a long history in human adornment. I also create jewelry and installations using digital fabrication tools - machines like 3D printers and vinyl cutters that take a coded digital input and create a physical output.

In my work, I explore the history of science and technology and the way that people tell stories about them. I am inspired by pop culture and past visions of the future, as well as the astounding imagery and scientific discoveries brought about by robotic spaceflight. I am fascinated by the physical infrastructure of the digital world and the myriad ways people interact with technology and each other.