I am a display engineer, filmmaker, photographer, and generative artist whose creative journey spans over five decades. My work explores the intersection of sound and vision—what I call Visual Music—where music is translated into immersive, dynamic visuals. While I am not a synesthete, I’ve long imagined music as colorful, 3D forms—an experience that drives my art.
In the 1970s, I created early Visual Music films using Super 8, oscillators, and optical printers. I built a brain-controlled synthesizer as a student and later earned a BFA in film at York University, studying electronic music under David Rosenboom. My 16mm works combined synthesizers, oscilloscopes, and RGB film compositing on an optical printer to visualize sound in dynamic ways.
Professionally, I developed ground-breaking 3D and VR display systems at IMAX and Christie Digital—technologies that, ironically, remained largely inaccessible to artists. Now retired, I’ve returned to artmaking, using Unity and TouchDesigner to develop real-time generative VR/AR experiences for Meta Quest headsets.
My recent solo exhibition, Journey to the Metaverse (Elora Centre for the Arts, OAC-funded), featured stereoscopic Visual Music works. I also built the “FreeDome,” a 3-projector immersive environment, and collaborated with local artists like Jerre Davidson. During the pandemic, I created and shared over 100 online Visual Music studies.
My goal is to democratize immersive media—making interactive stereoscopic art more accessible and emotionally resonant. I believe Visual Music offers a transformative way to experience beauty, countering the despair of today’s world. In a time of conflict, climate crisis, and rising polarization, art and music can open minds, uplift spirits, and offer new ways of seeing.
For photos, videos and more details please see https://gord.smugmug.com/Christie-Archive/.
Gord may be contacted at gordharris@icloud.com or on Gmail at gordh57@gmail.com.
Personal Links
YouTubeVR: https://www.youtube.com/@tdvr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harris_gord/
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/gordharris
SmugMug: https://gord.smugmug.com/
MY STORY
RESUME
Gord Harris, BFA, BSC
Generative Artist (aka “Negentropy”)
Education
Bachelor of Science, Honours, Physics - University of Guelph, Feb 7, 1975
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Honours, Film Production - York University, June 1980
Multiple paid online courses in VR, MR, Music, TD - Kadenze, Coursera, Berklee 2016-24
Touch Designer for Professional Interactive Design - Music Hackspace, March 2025
Recent Installations and Exhibitions
2025 Insights Juried Art Show - Wellington County Museum
Journey to the Metaverse (solo 6 wk. exhibition) - Elora Centre for the Arts, Feb 2024
Negentropy Visual Music2 (concert w Jeff Collinson) - ECFTA, Feb 2024
Negentropy Visual Music (concert w Jeff Collinson) - ECFTA, Oct 2022
The Flow Experience (interactive Kinect projection) - ECFTA, Mar 2022
Get Outside Experience (interactive touch & FreeDome) - ECFTA, Mar 2020
Shape of Dance (AV FreeDome for Jerre Davidson) - ECFTA, Jan 2020
Grants and Awards
Exhibition Assistance: 2023-2024
Ontario Arts Council
OAC Grant Number: 385316
Experience
Senior Program Manager, Research and Innovation - Christie Digital, Kitchener 2015-2017
Program Manager, Vis/Sim R&D, Visual Environments - Christie Digital, KW 2004-2014
Founder, Go-R&D Consulting - Terra Cotta, Ontario 2000-2004
Manager-Director (Camera, Engineering, R&D, Film Tech) - Imax Corporation 1978-2000
Relevant background is ~22 years of experience with large format film 3D stereo capture and projection while I worked at IMAX Corporation in Oakville & Mississauga and ~13 years of Immersive VR simulators and installations while working for Christie Digital in Kitchener, Ont.
Recent Press & Publications/Conferences
Various Christie talks for VR conferences in Toronto - Immersed, 2014 - 2016
Multiple papers on Simulators I designed - Image, Ohio 2012 - 2016
Yearly trade show exhibits for simulation conference - IITSEC, Florida 2011-2015
Talks & demos for Giant Screen Cinema Association - GSCA 2015-2017
New concept demos at ACM Computer Graphics show - Siggraph, USA 2015-2017
To view photos and videos for some of these projects & presentations please visit:
https://gord.smugmug.com/IMAX-large-format-film-work
https://gord.smugmug.com/Christie-Digital-Work
https://eloracentreforthearts.ca/exhibitions/journey-to-the-metaverse-a-3d-visual-
music-experience-by-tech-artist-gord-harris/
https://www.elorafergustoday.com/local-news/mindblowing-ecfta-exhibit-combines-
music-and-generative-art-8156943
My Relevant Patents
Shaw, William C. and Gordon W. Harris. Camera and method of producing and displaying a 3-D motion picture. US patent US4993828A, filed May 11, 1989, issued February 19, 1991. https://patents.google.com/patent/US4993828A
Baljet, Anton L., Gerard C. Carter, and Gordon W. Harris. Projection synchronization system. US patent US5002387, filed March 23, 1990, issued March 26, 1991. https://patents.google.com/patent/US5002387/en?q=US5002387
For more info on IMAX 3D, please visit: https://www.filmatlas.com/entry/288
IMAX Solido (1990-2017)
https://www.filmatlas.com/entry/303