Alumnus and media artist Matthew Biederman returned to the Visual Arts Building Monday to talk with art students about how he found success in art.

Biederman displayed many of his art pieces and explained how they were made. His artwork consists of a range of media and concepts. A piece called “Event Horizon” was created by combining a movie projector and computer programming to project moving colors on a wall. Biederman said the art demonstrated how everyone’s event horizon is different and constantly changing.

Another piece he created with other artists, called “SCATTER!,” was a performance piece made of live radio waves, satellite feeds and radar screens. “SCATTER!” is a political piece that Biederman said was meant to display and de-mystify the technological information that most people don’t realize is travelling through the air.

Professor Bart Woodstrup asked Biederman to speak to his students so they could be inspired by Biederman’s success.

“I think it is important for students to see themselves as people who can go out into the world like Matthew has and explore new areas and blaze new trails,” he said.

Instead of a paintbrush or a pencil, Biederman creates his art with utensils like computer programs, radio waves and satellite images. Not only has his passion for art led him to become a successful artist, but also a successful humanitarian.

After a trip to the Arctic Circle, Biederman co-founded the Arctic Perspective Initiative with his friend and fellow artist, Marko Peljhan.

During their trip, Biederman and Peljhan realized they could use the computer knowledge they had gained from their art to help the Inuit people in the Article circle. One of their projects is called SINUNI, a radio system which allows the Inuit people to map their land and monitor weather in real time.

The initiative’s projects and expeditions are funded by art exhibitions that feature art inspired by work in the Arctic.

Graduate art student Chris Fedak thought Biederman’s presentation was compelling.

“It gave a good perspective on how art can be used in a tactical way to address political issues as well as social issues,” he said.

Biederman believes art has many purposes. He said he believes everyone can learn something from making art.

“The thing about making art is you have to become an expert very quickly on all kinds of different subjects, but when that project is over you have to become an expert on something else, so you are constantly being challenged and learning,” he said.