Techno Cods

Item Description

Title & Artist:  "Lexa-COD" – by Steven London and Matt Friedman.  Photographic image provided by Rob Kipp.

Medium, Technical Features & Size:  Photographic print on wood assembled with LED lights, sound, and artificial intelligence, accompanied by a detachable power cord.  21 7/8" L x 8 5/8" H x 1" D.  For indoor display only.

Embedded inside this cod is a fully functional Alexa, Amazon's voice-activated virtual personal assistant.  Requires power, WiFi, and download of the free Alexa app.*  Capable of connecting to external Bluetooth speakers.

* Note: The artists will assist the winning bidder with electronic set-up of Lexa-COD, if needed (available in Marblehead and surrounding towns only).

Artist Statement:  A talking COD? Yes. A COD that can answer questions? YES. A visually appealing landscape photo of Marblehead Harbor at dusk, adorned with a glowing moon and points of light, and equipped with artificial intelligence that can give you answers to specific questions. What's the weather today in Marblehead? What movies are playing at Warwick Cinema in Marblehead? Now THAT'S a smart COD.

Watch this video to see a demo of Lexa-COD's cool features!  And come on down to LizzyLoo & Friends at 108 Washington St. in Marblehead to ask Lexa-COD your own questions!

Artist Biographies:  

Steven London is a builder and a maker, but not a candlestick maker. He has always looked outside the box to hack or mod an item. He constantly voids warranties and creates new items or mashes separate items together to form a new-use product. Steve is a relatively new resident of Marblehead. By day he has been solving computer issues and network woes of many customers, both large and small, for the past 30 years. Steve still finds time to use his wizardlike skills to create, make, and mod.

Matt Friedman calls himself a "digital" artist because he creates elaborate online systems, websites, and applications. This is Matt's first mixed media project—he had the initial idea of hacking apart an Alexa device to create something special. He created the custom application that helps power some of Lexa-COD's cool features. Matt has lived in Marblehead for more than 15 years with his wife and three children.

Hosting Business:  "Lexa-COD" is on display at LizzyLoo & Friends, 108 Washington St., Marblehead, MA.

Item Special Note

The artists will assist the winning bidder with electronic set-up of Lexa-COD, if needed (available in Marblehead and surrounding towns only).

Pick-up of purchased cods will be on Wednesday evening, July 5. Winning bidder will receive a notification email with information on pick-up time and location.

If winning bidder requires shipping, winner's credit card will be charged a separate $24.95 fee to cover USPS ground and handling. Shipping is available within the U.S. only and must be requested within 7 days after receipt of the notification email.

Any cod purchased via "Buy Now" will remain on display at the hosting business through the end of the auction, and will be available for pick-up as detailed in the winning bidder notification email.

If winning bidder has not picked up cod (or provided shipping address) within 30 days after the close of the auction, cod will become the property of Marblehead Festival of Arts, Inc.

Click here to see the other decorated cods up for bid in our Cods of a Different Color online auction!

To learn more about the Marblehead Festival of Arts, visit www.marbleheadfestival.org.
To make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.marbleheadfestival.org/donations.