Published October 25, 2021

Matt Kenyon, “Tide”: Scholars@Hallwalls

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"Tide" by Matt Kenyon

Scholars@Hallwalls Talk with Matt Kenyon, “Tide”

October 29 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Presented by UB Humanity Institute

Our homes are disappearing. The crisis is already part of our lexicon—when someone owes more than a house is worth, people say the mortgage is “underwater.” During the 2008 global financial crisis, that phrase was figurative, but with the present deluge of climate change fueled disasters, it is becoming increasingly literal. Vulnerable neighborhoods like the one I grew up in are being erased by rising water and climate change.

For his talk, Matt will discuss Tide, a new body of sculpture and interactive installations that address the next global housing crisis: property that has lost its value due to extreme weather. This work remixes material science, sculpture, and big data to represent the visible and invisible forces governing the relationship between climate change and housing markets. Tide calls attention to the way individuals are often eclipsed in large-scale metaphors for growth or risk, though they often carry the heavy burden of this uncertainty.

Kenyon’s work has been exhibited internationally and collected by institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It has received a number of awards including the distinguished FILE Prix Lux Art prize. Reproductions of SWAMP’s work have been featured in mainstream publications such as Wired and Gizmodo, and also appear in edited volumes such as A Touch of Code (Gestalten Press) and Adversarial Design (MIT Press)

Kenyon is a 2015 TED fellow and a Macdowell fellow. He was recently selected for Coolhunting’s CH25 a showcase of creators and innovators from a broad range of disciplines who are currently working to drive the world forward.

*Following the University at Buffalo’s on-campus protocols, beginning October 1, all attendees will be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to be admitted to Scholars@Hallwalls. A vaccination card, a photo of a vaccination card, an Excelsior Pass or a digital vaccine card are all acceptable. Attendees should be prepared to show photo ID as well. We kindly request that attendees wear masks indoors during the talk in the cinema for the safety and well-being of all guests.

Scholars@Hallwalls

Please join us as we return to in-person talks in the cinema space at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center!

Lecture Series

For 2020-21, the UB Humanities Institute enters the tenth year of the Scholars@Hallwalls lecture series. Under the constraints of the pandemic, the talks will be virtual this year. 

Talks are on Friday afternoons at 4 pm and are free and open to the public. Based on the featured fellow's preference, talks will either be pre-recorded videos that will be shared in advance with live Q&A via Zoom or presented live on Zoom with Q&A following the presentation. Please use the links provided below for details for each talk.