Inside the Studio: Turning Motion into a Business - E66

If you can teach yourself to focus, you'll find more hours in the day. Rei welcomes Andrew Zolty, an acclaimed data and kinetic artist professional known as BREAKFAST, for a behind-the-scenes look at his creative process. They discuss BREAKFAST’s transition from commercial design to full-time artistry and how he’s built a business around kinetic sculptures using real-time data. BREAKFAST shares insights into marketing, client interactions, the challenges of large-scale installations, and candid advice on why focus matters in the creative industry.

Andrew Zolty, known professionally as BREAKFAST, is a data and kinetic artist whose work centers on transforming real-time data from the natural world into digitally controlled kinetic artworks that tell stories. From the waves crashing on the beaches of Normandy to solar activity on the sun’s surface, BREAKFAST’s pieces draw this data from the web and transform these fluctuations into mesmerizing, undulating sculptures, creating a profound connection between the viewer and distant places.

BREAKFAST's passion for art, electronics, and computers, which began in his childhood, has led him to merge these elements throughout his adult life. Developing skills in art, coding, interaction design, and mechanical and electrical engineering, he became fascinated by the vast streams of data constantly generated around us. This fascination drives his work, as he finds ways to translate data into physical experiences that tell stories of real-time events.

Over the past 15 years, BREAKFAST has grown his studio into an engineering powerhouse, allowing for the complete in-house production of his works. This capability pushes creativity and quality to their furthest limits, with ideas inspiring engineering and engineering enabling new artistic expressions.

Timestamps:

• 0:03 Pursuing a Creative Life at the Intersection of Art and Technology
• 2:21 The Art of Marketing and Identity in the Art World
• 7:39 Creating Wow Art Pieces with Real-Time Data and Storytelling
• 14:57 Navigating Artistic Collaborations and Maintaining Creative Ownership
• 17:04 Creating Kinetic Sculptures for Cruise Ships and Outdoor Spaces
• 23:39 The Power of Focus in Creative Pursuits

Episode References:

• BREAKFAST | Instagram
• BREAKFAST | Website
• Rei Inamoto | LinkedIn
• Rei Inamoto | Instagram
• I&CO | Corporate Site

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