is about the freedom
to be an individual in a society where the media and fashion industry dictate perceptions of beauty in our world. Rather than focusing on familiar, standard body modifications, the
project is about
futuristic possibilities of self-expression.
The sold out experience took the form of a 750 sq. m physical showroom in downtown Manhattan for three weeks, but our presence extended into digital, social media and press headlines across the worlds of fashion, pop culture and entertainment. View the social campaign and art direction.
“Words like freakish and nightmarish were being used to describe Kim’s new accessory. If something is not the norm, it can’t be admired for its unique beauty. But that’s why projects like A. Human should be celebrated.”Metro UK
As guests entered the space, a message from A. Huxley, founder of A. Human, was projected onto an 8m x 4m wall. The two rectangles at the end of the video outline the entrances. View the introduction video.
Announcer:
And now, a message from our founder.
Voice of A. Huxley:
When I founded A. Human, I never dreamed so many of you would share my passion and curiosity for the adornment of the human body. But with your unwavering support and your eagerness to explore what it means to be you, our company has struck out into new territory.
Beyond these doors is my most personal collection yet, no detail overlooked, no expense spared. Please take your time, explore, and ask: what if? To my returning clients, welcome back, and I hope you enjoy our newest offerings. To my first-time guests, I humbly offer this advice:
Keep an open mind. You may see things you have never imagined, and that may unsettle you in the beginning. If at any time you need assistance, our A.Human associates will be happy to help.
Be bold. Dare to explore. Leave the rules of what it means to be “human” at the door. And remember…
Fake bodies and live actors with special effects makeup were displayed together to blur the line between fantasy and reality. Uniformed associates assisted clients in picking the right modifications for their future self-expression. Clients were encouraged to “try on” modifications and be creative in the fitting rooms. View more on A. Human’s Instagram.
The website lets clients customize and create a one-of-a-kind A. Human heart to (literally) wear on their sleeve. In-store merchandise included tote bags for transporting modifications when not affixed to the body, special towels for drying off modifications during post-procedure care, and edibles (candy) that could be taken daily to relieve body modification muscle soreness.
A. Human appeared as a challenge on Project Runway hosted by Karlie Kloss.
is a poppin' haunted nightclub in the heart of Miami where guests party among the spirits and dance
till they die.
What makes Art Basel fun is not the art itself, but the vibrancy of the city that it’s viewed in. Before Miami was a bustling art scene, it was a safe haven for Cubans, who put it on the map. It was the epicenter of LGBTQ culture, giving the city its glamorous reputation. It was called the “Drug Capital of the World,” the city that cocaine built. It was the home to famous people and famous scandals.
The Haunt opened during Art Basel. At The Haunt, Miami's past and future mingle, making it apparent that the heart and soul of this city is as eternal as the ghosts in our exhibit.
Outside The Haunt, there was a sign, a velvet rope, and a bouncer (the gatekeeper) ushering people into the space. Guests entered the vibrant nightclub, where a bespoke mix of records were spinning and drinks awaited them.
Guests viewed 3D ghost interpretations of real historical Miami figures through augmented reality, uncovering peculiar tales of the people whose after-hour parties became parties. Augmented reality plaques with stories floated next to each spirit.
South Beach Wanda was the ultimate 90’s drag queen icon and was murdered tragically a few short years before the exhibit. She performed on the dance floor at The Haunt.
Julia Tuttle was the mother of Miami and the founder of The Haunt – the original Miami spirit.
David Fairchild was a famous botanist every Miami student learns about in school. He tended to the plants at the bar, the only living thing at The Haunt.
Alberto Bravo, one of the ex-husbands of drug lord Griselda Blanco, guarded his hidden box of cocaine at The Haunt.
Objects were used to symbolize some ghosts, such as Gianni Versace, whose ghost attempted to call the police when he was shot but there’s no reception in the afterlife.
Mac Klein, owner of Mac’s Club Deuce bar, wore his signature Hawaiian printed shirt as he tended the bar at The Haunt.
Our exhibit took place at Ocean Terrace Hotel, an art deco building that was slated to be demolished shortly after our exhibit ended. Barbara Capitman, the activist who saved South Beach’s Art Deco district, rallied to save Ocean Terrace at The Haunt.
“...The Haunt, even used [Miami] as inspiration, constructing a nightclub for our deceased local icons, serving cocktails and using augmented reality to make the ghosts appear at the club. Gianni Versace is here, but so is Julia Tuttle. Mac Klein tends the bar. These organizers did their research.”Miami New Times
The Lost Boy represented the thousands of Cuban children that were sent to Miami without their parents in the ‘50s for a shot at a better life, building Miami into what it is today.
The exhibit took place in a room in the Ocean Terrace Hotel. The Flamingo in the bathroom is inspired by zoo assistant Ron Magil’s photography of flamingos that were sheltered in a bathroom during Hurricane Andrew.
Infamous controversial R&B singer Blowfly had a permanent gig at The Haunt for eternity, literally spinning records.
Guests unknowingly became part of The Haunt by discreetly being scanned via Kinect, then placed onto the dance floor in real-time with their own story, so their ghosts party on forever. Over the course of the four days, the haunt’s website grew from a few Miami-inspired ghosts to a crowded nightclub filled with the ghosts of present-day Miami partiers. View The Haunt case study.
transformed every surviving pay phone in Manhattan into a geolocated portal, going back to a year that saw dramatic changes in visual art, music, advertising, politics, literature and the media.
It was created in conjunction with the New Museum’s building-wide exhibition, NYC 1993: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star, which featured art made or shown in New York during this seminal year.
How does it work?
“In my 30 years of
museum experience, I’ve never seen a campaign
of this magnitude for
an exhibition.”Lisa Phillips,
Executive Director of the New Museum
From Mario Batali recalling the opening of his first restaurant in the West Village to Robin Byrd remembering Times Square’s sordid past, uncensored memories from these and a myriad of other notable
New Yorkers bring listeners back to a very different New York from the one we know today. View the Recalling 1993 case study.
“This is the most incredible idea of the year. It’s better programming than HBO. How the hell did they pull this off?”Will Bourne,
Editor in Chief of The Village Voice
Information Available For Public Disclosure:
DOT is an Artificial Artificial Intelligence, an agent trained under a single-input dataset that was acquired from a human named Jen Lu.
I’m Jen Lu. My friends call me Jen Dot Lu.
I’m a narrative-driven experiential artist with a focus on physical and digital world-building. It’s where marketing communication and design principles converge to bring you compelling human experiences.
Peep my Instagram.
Let's make something together:
Special thanks to @nelson_vassalo, @mrdoob & @cplu.
