We take it for granted now that geek is chic. Sunday was the final day of the PULSE New York Contemporary Art Fair, and the influence of popular geek culture was clear in many of the pieces on display. Here are three for your viewing pleasure. And if you couldn’t attend, try not to beat yourself up too hard for having missed a chance to make a wish on the #wishingpelt (slightly NSFW).Laurent Lamarche, exhibited by Art Mûr
One of the nominees for the PULSE Prize award, these works (only two of which are seen here) drew from both science and science fiction to deliver an engaging experience. Simulating the view through a microscope, Lamarche offers a glimpse into a secret world: a world that he himself constructed. One of his microscopic creatures can be viewed above, engineered to move every so often and imbue the projection with an alien life.
Peter Sarkisian, exhibited by Zadok Gallery
Not only is the subject here a retro take on robotics, but the media include technology that would be right at home on the pages of Wired. The objects themselves are 3D prints, and the colors are applied with a projector. A dynamic display and sci-fi sound effects (which we unfortunately can’t demonstrate here) give the illusion of moving parts. If nothing else, you’ll be reminded of something straight out of your childhood toy box.
Jessica Lichtenstein, exhibited by gallery nine 5
Finally, we have this computer-generated piece. One in a series of four (for each season, this one depicting fall), the tree’s foliage is actually composed of the modeled bodies of many women. Not only is the overall style of the work reminiscent of a well-produced (shojo) anime, but, even more clearly, so are the women themselves. While this wasn’t the day’s favorite, it did demonstrate a pretty interesting approach.

And one more for the road:Michael Scoggins