Ekene Ijeoma

Photo credit: Dustin Aksland

INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTIST AND DESIGNER/NYFA FELLOW/NEW INC. MEMBER, NEW YORK NY

Ekene Ijeoma is a socially-focused interdisciplinary artist working at the intersections of design, architecture, technology and society through websites, installations, apps and performances. He is a NYFA Fellow in Design, Urban Environments, and Architecture. In 2016 he was named in Adweek’s Creative 100 as one of the 10 “visual artists whose imagination and intellect will inspire you” and Good Magazine’s Good 100 for “tackling pressing global issues.” In 2015 he was nominated for Design Museum’s ‘Designs of the Year’ award. His work has been exhibited at galleries and museums including Annenberg Center for Photography, Neuberger Museum of Art, Design Museum, Istanbul Design Biennial, Vignelli Center, and Salone Del Mobile. He has presented at events and spaces including New Museum Ideas City, Chicago Architecture Biennial and International Center for Photography, Neuberger Museum of Art, and Raleigh Contemporary Art Museum. Ekene He has been a lecturer at The New School, NYU and critic at Yale and SVA, visiting artist at VCU and School for Poetic Computation and an artist in residence at Fabrica and Ace Hotel. He was born in Fort Worth TX and lives and works in NYC.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN? WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?
I was born in Fort Worth TX, and live and work now in NYC.

DID YOU GO TO DESIGN SCHOOL?
I have a BS in Information Technology from RIT and an MA in Interaction Design from Domus Academy in Milan.

LEFTY OR RIGHTY?
Righty

MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Both

FICTIONAL OR HISTORICAL CHARACTER YOU’VE ALWAYS IDENTIFIED WITH?
Huey from Boondocks

ARE YOU MUSICAL AND/OR DO YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
I’m musical but don’t play an instrument. Currently, I’m working on a data- driven music composition and performance on inequality and injustice in the US.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TV SHOW?
Good Times

ANY PETS?
No

WHAT LANGUAGES ARE YOU FLUENT IN?
English

FAVORITE FREE TIME ACTIVITY?
People watching, biking, running, taking film photos

WHAT’S THE LAST COMPLIMENT YOU GOT?
Every invitation to do a talk or workshop is a compliment.

DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING?
Planes, trains, museum, movies and other tickets from all the cities I’ve traveled. Also clothing tags of my favorite fashion designers.

DO YOU HAVE A DESIGN MENTOR OR INSPIRATION?
Theaster Gates

GREATEST STRENGTH/WEAKNESS AS A DESIGNER?
Strength is that I am a concept- driven medium-agnostic thinker, weakness is ad and marketing jargon.

ADVICE TO A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?
From the club to church, try to find your voice through communities outside of your industry or practice.

IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
A bike messenger

A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
Don’t talk about it, be about it.

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