Assistant Professor of Art Juan Obando was recently awarded one of the prestigious 2012 Rhizome Commissions for his MUSEUM MIXTAPE (Dirty South Edition) project.
Obando’s project, composed of a series of videos, limited edition cassette copies, a website and a downloadable album, aims to create a playful connection between hip-hop narratives and institutional art spaces. By inviting local rap artists to comment (via performance) on contemporary collections in their respective locations and presenting these collaborations as an audiovisual series, a new space is offered to reflect on the current state of cultural economies, institutional community engagement and emerging subcultural forms and their intersections.
Founded in 2001 to support artists working with technology, the Rhizome Commissions Program has awarded 72 commissions as of 2012. Projects realized through the Program represent some of the forward-thinking and innovative works of media and internet-based art.