MIAMI BYTE
Art Official IntelligenT EXHIBITION
FOr public Immersion & Human Connection
Byte was created for Burning Man in 2018 as an installation and story about love, acceptance and freedom. Byte has since grown into a Burning Man theme camp consisting of over a hundred extraordinarily talented artists, a full sized art car of brilliant illumination and sound, and 2 furry, larger than life robots.
In addition to the 8+ magical years at Burning Man, Byte has toured numerous other beloved arts and music experiences throughout the country every year. And, after all these magical years, witnessing the immense joy our art continues to bring to countless adults and children alike, we are excited to finally share that joy with the public at large.
A ROBOT STORY
On top of being a cute playground of cuddly robots for all ages, Byte also has a very profound backstory.
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Conceptually, Byte is a poignant fable for Ai and the way in which the human species must now begin to carefully navigate its evolution. Our comfy and lovable robots are all silhouettes of various circuit board hardware, like microchips and resistors, to represent the first truly sentient and self aware technology to be freed from robot slavery. We hope to, now, liberate our emotional bots to the public at large so they may enjoy their autonomy amongst other happy humans and excited tourists!
FROM PLAYA TO PUBLIC
At Burning Man, Byte is a whimsical playground of hidden spaces and exploration made up of 2 massive furry robot sculptures. For public display and participation, we have translated our grande vision to be smaller and more family accessible, covered in lush artificial grass in lieu of fur, allowing our robots to live outside in bustling public areas or serene city parks without sacrificing any of their immersive experience.
Once we figured out how to translate Byte for a public audience, we began to scour the country for the perfect location for their foray into public exhibition. After moving down to Miami Beach 2 years ago from New York, we quickly realized that this vibrant city of culture and art was home.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The Euclid Oval on Lincoln Rd, in particular, is one location we believe our colorful robots could breathe a little more life and vibrant energy. While this event stage was intended for occasional outdoor performances, we have only ever seen one such occasion in our 2+ yrs living 2 blocks away.
Most times, the Oval is empty, simply begging to be used. It is a space of incredibly untapped potential in the heart of such a lively promenade. Many tourists will often ignore the spot or try their best to appreciate it by sacrificing comfort for the rough mini golf turf. Kids will sometimes run around it but most people simply sit on the steps. It is still a wonderful addition to the promenade but one that could be so much more! As local artists who cherish our neighborhood, we want the opportunity to contribute so much more!
COLLABS
FAB COLLABS
Byte has legs, both literally and figuratively. They’re not just creative spaces to connect with friends or soak in the scenery on a picture perfect day, they are also blank canvasses. Working with celebrated artists from all over the country, from Burning Man to Miami Beach, we have had the honor of manifesting some truly exciting collaborations in many different mediums. Here are some possible collabs that we'd explore first!
our LIBERATED bots
AUGMENTED ANIMATED REALITY!
Every one of our cuddly liberated robots has a story and a placard next to each one will include their name and their story along with – get ready for this one – a QR code with a personal message and thank you from them as a fully animated cartoon using "Artivive", a platform that creates augmented reality of artworks easily.
A LITTLE COLOR GOES A LONG LINCOLN RD!
There are myriad ways in which our lovably liberated robots can elevate the electric vibes in an area and experimenting with wildly colorful patterns is just one of them!
From fun patterns to brilliant hues, Byte brings a youthful energy that makes you feel alive!
With its lively atmosphere and colorful visitors, the art on Lincoln Rd should not only elevate that energy but also be able to mingle with it!
FOUNDERS
JAson BLANDA
Raised in the garden state, Jay started his art career as a 2D/3D character animator in video games, film and tv. His very first sunrise trip to deep playa at Burning Man in 2015, was a magical journey through extraordinary art that inspired him to his very core. It was then he knew that bringing art to Black Rock City was not only possible but inevitable. His animation and multi-media skills are now being used in every aspect of his installation art endeavor.
See some of his previous work here:
anDREW LAZORCHAK
Born in Massachusetts, raised in NJ and living in Napa Valley, Drew started out his career as a budding architect & branding designer in NYC and Amsterdam. He has since launched his own wine accessories/barware company, which allowed him to be on the west coast and revive his roots in alternative communities, installation art, and dance music. His affinity for festival culture, music and art has fueled his passion and imagination for Byte.
Peruse Drew's house wares company here: Soiree Home