NEW INC Y7 in the Books

Closing in on a year at NEW INC, the New Museum’s art, design, and technology incubator

During my MFA in Paris I relied on museums and art galleries for inspiration. I wanted to learn more about the ways art organizations worked and perhaps even apply my own artistic process alongside one. So, when I applied to NEW INC, the New Museum’s art, design, and technology incubator I was interested to expand my process in this way. I thought learning from an inspiration was key to grow my practice, but I was not sure where it would lead.

Throughout the year I met with many different art institutions: big and small as well as collection and commission based institutions. If this is not your first newsletter from me, then you know of the grant I received from Cooper Hewitt Design Museum and the prototype I recently completed for it. But, I also had the opportunity to work with Miami City Ballet. Over the course of three months I met with artistic director, Lourdes Lopez, and her team a handful of times. I presented existing new media installations as a sort of crash course to their question, “What can be done with art and technology?”.

I described key components of each work to build a simple vocabulary around types of technology. We discussed how these different uses can effectively communicate a concept. Lastly, I pitched existing artists’ work as potential installations to spark their imagination. Lourdes’s team is at the start of their journey employing technology in compelling ways for their shows and it was exciting to be part of their formative discussions.

What I saw in Miami City Ballet’s development was that of my own interests to grow my practice. It was surprising, but not serendipitous, that I could provide value to this organization. NEW INC was packed with opportunities to flex my artistic muscles in unfamiliar contexts.

For this I am thankful for the experience and recommend it to others looking to expand their own practice,

—Jono