Swack Debra

Debra Swack is a digital artist who creates transformative participatory experiences about the most critical issues of our time. Published by MIT, she is included in Art and Innovation at Xerox Parc (MIT/1999). She received two Fulbright and three co-production grants (Banff Centre/Tel Aviv University) that helped her realize ambitious projects including ’95 Chimes’ sound installation at the Staller Center (2016) adapted for 16 speakers, and Bessie nominated ‘Animal Patterning Project,’ commissioned by West Harlem Art Fund/Pratt Institute (Art Daily). Called an important work by Margaret Morton (Ford Foundation), The AR Monument Project (democratization of memorialization and heroes) was shortlisted by Creative Time/NEW INC-New Museum (2019) and was a 2020 recipient of a Mellon Foundation/2018 Creative Engagement grant in collaboration with Microsoft/Siddhartha School/Rubin Museum. Her work is a catalyst for change, innovation, and collaboration. For example, ‘Bloom’ addresses plant consciousness, ‘the Emotions after Charles Darwin’ addresses CRISPR and universality of emotions regardless with race, age or gender, ‘Cloud Mapping Project’ addresses climate change, surveillance, artificial intelligence, machine learning and creativity (can machines create?) and ‘Animal Patterning Project’ addresses the history of genetically manipulating animals, environmental displacement through urbanization, and the rise of infectious diseases due to deforestation such as COVID. ‘Animal Patterning Project’ is a 2021 recipient of a City Arts grant from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York Foundation for the Arts. It is currently featured in ‘Becoming Feral’ supported by the University of Wisconsin and the Scotland Conservatoire.

95 Chimes with animations adapted for 16 speakers, Resonant Structures, Staller Center 2016: