lystn

Ari Melenciano is an interdisciplinary artist using tech to underscore racial dynamics and alter our experiences in reality. She is the founder of Afrotectopia, a new media festival championing black artists, activists, and designers working with technology in creative and innovative ways. Today Ari speaks with us on her current projects, shares her thoughts about tech and the limitations faced when using tech-based tools, and dives into the trajectory of Afrotectopia now entering its 3rd year in 2020. -About Ari Melenciano- Ari Melenciano is a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist. Her research lies at the intersections of human-computer interactive technologies, social impacts of technology, culture, sound/audio-visuality, experimental pedagogy and speculative design.  Ari is the founder of the social institution, Afrotectopia, most commonly experienced via their annual New Media Arts, Culture and Technology Festival. She is currently an adjunct professor at NYU teaching in the Interactive Telecommunications Graduate Program (ITP) and Photography undergraduate department. She is also a consultant for NYC’s Department of Education, helping to build STEAM curriculum that is culturally relevant. She is currently incubating audiovisual experimental work at CultureHub in their arts and technology residency, and at New Inc (the first museum-led incubator) in the Experiments in Arts and Technology track in partnership with Rhizome and Bell Labs. Learn more at http://www.ariciano.com/ Follow her @ariciano