Gray Area
Gray Area‘s mission is to cultivate, sustain, and apply antidisciplinary collaboration — integrating art, technology, science, and the humanities — towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
In early 2009 I began working with Josette Melchor, Gray Area’s founder, to expand the organization’s operations model & public programs from exhibitions & art studio rentals to include a project incubator, workshops, memberships, and live event production. At the time there were few resources outside of academic institutions where artists could learn how to work with emerging technology. Having run successful technology workshops for artists at Recombinant Media Labs, I was able to develop a model for an incubator and educational program at Gray Area that received broad buy-in from the Executive Director and Board. This model expanded upon the previous art studio rental model to greatly increase revenue for the fledgling foundation, it is still a significant source of funding 14 years later.
During my ~ 2 year stint with Gray Area I produced 6 events, 5 exhibitions, 4 workshops, 3 symposia, and 1 residency. I also helped write successful grants, and worked closely with the Director of Development to design and scale the membership revenue model. Artists & collaborators participating in programs I produced include: Aaron Koblin, Camille Utterback, Casey Reas, Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst, Robert Hodgin (flight404), Kode9 (Steve Goodman), Erik Davis, Max Matthews, Gabriel Dunne, Daniel Massey, Ryan Alexander, Larry Harvey & Marian Goodell (Burning Man), Alain Mongeau (Mutek), Rayna deNiord (Modyfier), and Kate Lesta (CMKY). See some of the highlights below.
Role
Director of Operations/Executive Producer, 2008-2010
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Seaquence
An interactive music app developed by Gabriel Dunne, Ryan Alexander and Daniel Massey during their residency. My role: Producer.
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OPEN: Gray Area's inaugural exhibition, workshops, and membership drive.
Including new works from three pioneers in the field of digital art Casey Reas, Aaron Koblin, Camille Utterback, and Stamen; OPEN celebrates Gray Area’s arrival as San Francisco’s leading digital arts organization and cornerstone of The City’s emerging Tenderloin Arts District. The multidisciplinary works in OPEN span a range of formats and techniques: from prints and sculptures to interactive video, generative processes and cartography. My role: Producer
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Processing Workshop
Led by Processing founder Casey Reas. My role: Producer.
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Liquid Time by Camille Utterback
An interactive installation that utilized motion tracking to augment video projected onto the storefront. My role: Producer.
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Milleux Sonores
Sound and Imaginary Space, curated by Marcus Maeder and the Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) at the Zurich University of the Arts. My role: Producer.
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+DIALOG
A symposium series inviting local and global artists, scholars and polymaths to present and discuss their work in an intimate environment. In a time when the information we consume is unprecedentedly estranged from its origins, +DIALOG provided a forum to commune, collate and derive fresh context direct from the source. Featuring Douglas Kahn, Erik Davis & Steve Goodman (kode9), Max Matthews & Aaron Koblin, Alain Mongeau & Marian Goodell, and more. My role: Producer.
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+DIALOG: Erik Davis & Steve Goodman (Kode9)
London based cultural theorist, electronic musician and label owner Steve Goodman (aka Kode9) to present and discuss his first book Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear (MIT Press, 2009). For this occasion Steve will be joined in conversation by San Francisco based kindred spirit Erik Davis, whose work is regularly referenced in Sonic Warfare.
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+DIALOG: Douglas Kahn & Chris Kubick
Kahn’s presentation of “A Natural History of Media” is paired with a presentation of “Electric,” a new project by Chris Kubick, which explores the raw sonic edges and subtle mythologies of the basic source material underlying electronic music: electricity itself.
