Meta Open Arts, formerly known as Facebook Open Arts, is set to make a splash at Frieze L.A. with the announcement of a slew of new collaborations.
The new Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in San Francisco, the New Museum's New Inc. cultural incubator in New York, and the Park Avenue Armory's presentation of Rashad Newsome's Assembly and the Pavilion of the African Diaspora are among its collaborators.
Tina VOZ, the former deputy director of global communications at the Guggenheim Museum and the head of Meta Open Arts since 2019, is leading the charge.
"It's work that we've been working on for several years," VOZ told Artnet News, describing the moment as an "inflection point" in the meeting of art and technology.
"We've been working with artists for over ten years, both on commissioning and looking at different types of residencies, including ones within Meta."
Open Arts started out as a residency program at Facebook. Artists were commissioned to collaborate with Facebook employees on-site at the company's headquarters, providing employees with insight into the artistic process.
"We also commission artists to work inside the apps themselves, such as Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp," VOZ explained. "We've commissioned artists to create work that people can experience and access directly through the apps."
In one case, the company commissioned artists to design 360-degree backgrounds for video calls on the Messenger app, as well as special designs for holidays like Dig de Los Metros and Native American Heritage Month. The company has collaborated with over 1,000 artists and designers since the program's inception.
"When we approach partnerships, we are always looking for opportunities to be additive to an artist's work," she explained. "Everything we do is art- and artist-forward, which means it's not technology looking for an application." It is primarily looking for artists who are experimenting with technology in novel ways.
"We really think of artists as hackers, who aren't afraid to see a problem, disassemble it, and experiment with different ways to put it back together." So alignment there is very much in the Meta spirit."
The Meta Open Arts team consists of approximately 25 full-time employees and approximately 25 contractors, who work as curators, designers, arts educators, program managers, and producers. The collaborations are diverse, and include a six-month residency at Meta and digital exhibitions with artists such as Sofia Crest.
VOZ described the budgeting process as fluid.
"Typically, we start a conversation and may or may not have a budget in mind, but it's an iterative process." We try to figure out what this initiative requires and whether it aligns with our goals and budget, as well as how we can contribute meaningfully."
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Technology is growing up😎
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