The Crossroad of Art & Technology
Meet AlphaLab Gear’s Latest Artist-in-Residence
“The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art,” John Lasseter.
The link between art and technology is often overlooked. AlphaLab Gear’s Artist Residency Program promotes cohesion between the two. The program provides a local artist with studio space, a stipend, access to AlphaLab Gear’s business programming and use of Gear’s workshop. Since the program’s inception in 2019, three artists have taken residency — Shikeith Cathey, Fran Flaherty and Owen Lowery. AlphaLab Gear is pleased to announce our newest Artist-in-Residence, Mikael Owunna.
Mikael Owunna is a Nigerian American multi-media artist, filmmaker, and engineer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Exploring the intersections of visual media with engineering, optics, Blackness, and African cosmologies, his work seeks to elucidate an emancipatory vision of possibility that pushes people beyond all boundaries, restrictions, and frontiers.
Owunna’s work has been exhibited across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America and been collected by institutions such as the Nasher Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Equal Justice Initiative; Duke University Pratt School of Engineering; and National Taiwan Museum. His work has also been featured in media ranging from the New York Times to CNN, NPR, VICE, and The Guardian. He has lectured at venues including Harvard Law School, World Press Photo (Netherlands), Tate Modern (UK), and TEDx. Owunna has published two monographs: Limitless Africans (FotoEvidence, 2019) and Cosmologies (ClampArt, 2021).
Owunna’s multi-media practice includes film, and in 2021 he directed the dance film Obi Mbu (The Primordial House) with Marques Redd. Owunna’s work has been commissioned for major public art installations by organizations including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Foundation, Contemporary Art Museum Raleigh, Pittsburgh International Airport, and Orange Barrel Media.
AlphaLab Gear is inspired by Mikael’s artwork and we are excited to have the opportunity to provide residency. Stay tuned for more information, art and technology to come!
AlphaLab Gear is able to provide the Artist-in-Residence and other programming due to the generous funds from the Ciervo Foundation.
