MANA BSMT AT MANA CONTEMPORARY PRESENTS:

FLATLAND: A JOURNEY OF MANY DIMENSIONSCURATED BY GRACE FRANCK

MIAMI ART WEEKDECEMBER 6–10, 2017

32 SE 1ST STREET, MIAMI, FL 33131

FEATURING WORK BY 18 ARTISTS THAT EXPLORE NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO IMAGINE ALTERNATIVE REALITIES

JAMES CLARALEX CZETWERTYNSKILISA PARKBRADLEY BOWERSMATTHIAS BROWN (TRACELOOPS)SAM CANNONPABLO GNECCOHAYDEN ZEZULA (ZOLLOC)SARAH ROTHBERG

ANDREW THOMAS HUANGBILLIE PATEJAKOB KUDSK STEENSENFREEKA TETDAVE & GABETHOKA MAERHARALD HARALDSSON CODY RANALDO

November 27, 2017, MIAMI, FL—The Mana BSMT New Media Program (NMP) presents Flatland, a group exhibition of eighteen artists exploring new tech­nologies. Spanning five storefronts of Downtown Miami transformed into five conceptual levels—Dissociation, Liminality, Other Worlds, Resurface, and Flatland—the exhibition leads visitors on a cognitive journey of many dimensions. Inspired by Flatland (1886), the novella by Edwin Abbott about a two­dimensional square whose mind is opened to a new, three­dimensional plane, Flatland the exhibition draws parallels with our own short­sighted notion of reality, and invites one to virtually experience alternate worlds.

Flatland is the largest and most ambitious exhibition presented by the New Media Program, bringing together both established and emerging talent working at the intersection of art, design, and technology. Using machine vision, biometric sensors, anamorphic 3D projection mapping, motion capture, VR, AR, sound, and more, the eighteen artists of Flatland have created aesthetic experiences that

Andrew Thomas Huang, Flesh Nest (still), 2017

VIP AND PRESS PREVIEWTuesday, December 5, 2017 12–6PM

Featuring a cocktail reception, plus performances by Matthias Brown (Traceloops) at 2PM and Sam Cannon at 4PM

OPENING RECEPTION & PARTYThursday, December 7, 2017 8PM–2AM

Featuring special performances by Freeka Tet, Otto von Schirach, and DJ sets by Peter Fonda and Gooddroid (Loveless Records/Catwalk), curated by Christine Renee

EXHIBITION HOURS Wednesday–Sunday, December 6–10, 2017 12–7PM

Friday, December 85PM Matthias Brown performance6PM Sam Cannon performance

AFTER-HOURSFriday–Saturday, December 8–9, 2017 7–11PM

Curated by Christine Renee:

Friday, December 87–8PM DJ set by James Clar8–11PM DJ set by Ralph Falcon (Murk)

Saturday, December 97PM Sam Cannon performance7–11PM Love Injection showcase led by DJs and zine founders Barbie Bartisch and Paul Raffaele

inspire us to imagine beyond our physical plane of perception. Exhibition artists include residents from the BSMT New Media Program—Sam Cannon, James Clar, Zolloc, Sarah Rothberg, Freeka Tet, Alex Czetwertynski, Bradley Bowers, Matthias Brown, Thoka Maer, Pablo Gnecco, Harald Haraldsson, Jakob Kudsk Steensen, and Cody Ranaldo—plus four guest artists: Billie Pate, a member of the New Museum’s NEW INC program; Lisa Park, an inaugural resident of NEW INC and Nokia Bell Labs’ new Art + Tech Residency; Dave & Gabe, a Brooklyn­based, award­winning interactive installation studio; and Andrew Thomas Huang, an experimental artist and filmmaker, and long­time collaborator of Björk.

Flatland reimagines the architecture of five adjoining storefronts as one continuous journey, woven together through a back hallway that interconnects all the spaces:

STOREFRONT #1: DISSOCIATIONDetachment from reality; deviation from ordinary waking consciousness. Featuring a four­channel sound installation by Cody Ranaldo, plus interactive works by NMP residents Bradley Bowers and Freeka Tet, which draw on dissociation of the senses to alter state of consciousness and identity.

STOREFRONT #2: LIMINALITYIn­between state; transitional period of ambiguity or disorientation. An immersive environment, featuring installations by Lisa Park and James Clar that blur boundaries between virtual/real and physical/metaphysical, as well as dynamic light works by Pablo Gnecco and Alex Czetwertynski.

STOREFRONT #3: OTHER WORLDSA virtual exploration of other dimensions, the multiverse; all is possible and imaginable. Featuring journeys in augmented reality (AR) by Harald Haraldsson; a three­channel video installation of a “purgatorial avatar cyber­realm” by Andrew Thomas Huang; psychological landscapes in virtual reality (VR) by Sarah Rothberg and Jakob Kudsk Steensen; and a room­scale world of anamorphic projections by Billie Pate. STOREFRONT #4: RESURFACEReturn from the virtual world to the physical plane. Presenting a new version of Surface—the NMP’s debut exhibition at Mana Contemporary, New Jersey, which features the first foray into physical works by primarily internet­based artists: Sam Cannon, Hayden Zezula (Zolloc), Thoka Maer, and Matthias Brown (Traceloops).

Resurface is generously supported by Giphy Arts.

STOREFRONT #5: FLATLANDBack to one’s perceived reality as it’s commonly known; a simulated experience. Designed by the producers of 9to5.tv, an experimental month­long digital art exhibition and live­streaming platform that marked the inauguration of Georgia State University’s media lab, August 2017.

HALLWAYThe back hallway interconnects the five levels of Flatland, enhancing the journey with a sound and light installation by Dave & Gabe.

POP-UP CAFÉ/BARStay a little longer in “Flatland” storefront with light food & drinks from our next door Pop­up Café/Bar * (52 SE 1st Street)

*Provided by Crave Events Group

ABOUT MANA BSMT NEW MEDIA PROGRAMEstablished by BSMT Director Grace Franck in 2016, the Mana BSMT New Media Program (NMP) is a community­based residency dedicated to supporting the next generation of new media artists. Through ongoing support in Mana’s two­million square­foot campus, the program aims to foster innovation, collab ­oration, and entrepreneurship, and present exhibitions and programming at the intersec­tion of art and new media technology. Learn more at manabsmt.com.

ABOUT MANA MIAMI ART WEEKThe BSMT New Media Program’s Flatland is part of Mana Contemporary’s extensive program for Miami Art Week across both Wynwood and Downtown locations. Spanning four blocks of Miami’s historic downtown district, Mana will host activations by cultural partners and artists, including Clocktower, Prizm Art Fair, Juxtapoz Magazine, Azikiwe Mohammed, O, Miami, and Dale Zine. Mana Wynwood’s program includes a group exhibition organized with Asia Society (New York) and Smack Mellon, a benefit fund­raiser by Equinox, a site­specific project by The Bushwick Collective, and the return of Pinta Miami and III Points festival with a special DJ set by Björk. Learn more at manamiamiartweek.com.

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