Kevin Mack

Statement

My work is an experimental exploration of imagination and creative method. I have an obsessive fascination with the visions, dreams, and processes that inspire my work. The creation of vivid depictions and expressions of these imagined and emergent realities is my primary preoccupation in life.

I am focused on philosophical, scientific and spiritual imponderables. Digital technology enables me to dissolve traditional boundaries of medium, process, style and genre and create unimaginable new forms. My goal is to create compelling psychoactive objects of contemplation that inspire an experience of transcendent awe and mystery. I believe this kind of experience is essential to human development and well being.

My images, sculptures and animations are created using a variety of digital tools. Digital painting and sculpting are incorporated with procedural techniques such as functional modeling and fluid dynamic simulation.  Physically based rendering, which simulates the behavior of light, makes it possible for me to make virtual photographs of my creations and discoveries. The resulting images are printed on canvas and paper. Physical models of my virtual sculptures are produced using 3d printing technology. 

My process integrates intuition and intellect - deliberate design and random happenstance - realism and abstraction - humanity and technology - art and math - science and mysticism - philosophy and humor.

Biography

Kevin Mack is a pioneering Digital Artist and Academy Award winning Visual Effects Designer and Supervisor. He received the Oscar for his work on the film "What Dreams May Come". His other film credits include "Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief", "Speed Racer", "Ghost Rider", "Big Fish", "Fight Club", "A Beautiful Mind", "Vanilla Sky", "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "Apollo 13" and most recently, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" which was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.  For a more complete filmography, see the Kevin Mack IMDB page

The son of Disney artists, Brice Mack and Ginni Mack, Kevin was tutored in art by his parents and their artist friends.  At 16, he received a scholarship for drawing classes at Art Center College of Design. At 18, he was accepted into the college program, where he studied Fine Art, Illustration and Film.

After college, Mack worked in the film industry doing traditional glass matte painting, scenic painting, sculpting, model making, animation, storyboards, concept art and set design for commercials and movies.

In the mid-eighties, Kevin began experimenting with computers to make fine art and music. Recognizing it's potential for film work, he helped pioneer the use of computer graphics for visual effects and became a creative leader in the digital revolution.  In 2007 he received an honorary Doctorate of Science degree from Art Center for his contributions to the field of motion picture visual effects.

Mack's work is the result of ongoing research in a wide range of fields including the mathematics of complexity, neuroscience and quantum physics.  His work in Artificial Life and Rule Based Systems, used on "What Dreams May Come" and "Fight Club", inspired the development of tissue simulation software that has been used in virtual stem cell research.  In 2006, Mack received the title of Honorary Neuroscientist, from UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, for his lectures there on perception, visualization and creativity.  Kevin is currently consulting with CERN on the visualization of recent discoveries in particle physics.

Mack's fine art is an experimental exploration of the creative process, imagination, aesthetics, infinity, reality, consciousness and the future.  His work has been exhibited at The Laguna Beach Art Museum, Carnegie Melon University, Siggraph Art Gallery and Animation Festival, The Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, Banzai!!! in New York City, Visual Amalgam and various LA art events.

Mack is a native of Los Angeles, California, where he lives with his wife, artist Snow Mack.  They have two sons, Jon Mack and Ray Mack, both of whom are gifted artists. Jon works in visual effects and Ray is a musician, DJ and music producer.