: A radical experiment and fellowship focused on artist-led invention in self-governance and digital freedom.
Founded in Brooklyn in 1997 (before "tech" was a dirty word and when "new media" still meant CD-ROMs), Eyebeam is the OG residency and production studio for artists who work with technology. Think of it as a hybrid: part MIT Media Lab, part scrappy artist studio, part public gallery. eyebeam
: Historically based in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, it now operates through various "brick-and-mortar" partnerships and digital studios. : A radical experiment and fellowship focused on
Ultimately, Eyebeam serves as a necessary counter-narrative to the corporate narrative of technological progress. It reminds us that innovation does not belong solely to startups or military contractors; it belongs to the poets, the hackers, and the provocateurs who ask "why" and "at what cost?" rather than just "how?" As we navigate an era defined by Artificial Intelligence, algorithmic governance, and virtual realities, the need for Eyebeam’s model of critical, collaborative, and open-source creativity is more urgent than ever. It stands as a testament to the idea that to build a humane future, we must first allow artists to hack the present. : Historically based in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, it
I visited Eyebeam’s space (they’ve moved a few times, but always stayed in Brooklyn) during an open studio night last fall. The vibe was unmistakable: soldering irons next to poetry zines. A former coder debugging a motion sensor while a dancer tested its thresholds. Someone debugging a kernel module while someone else debated abolitionist tech policy.