What is it?

MUX: (multiplexing): the sending of multiple streams or data signals over one single, complex transmission.

The MUX: Asheville Video Art Festival was created by video artists, art theorists, curators, & educators seeking to expand the field for new media and video art, easing the imbalance between artists and exhibition platforms.

The 2016 exhibition was hosted by ArtsAVL (formerly the Asheville Area Arts Council), from July 1st - August 6th, 2016, in downtown Asheville's South Slope. The festival featured 28 selected works from a body of local and international video and new media artists.

Role: Founder, Director, Curator

About

MUX: AVL connected the local community with the international. It featured a live performance and installation night at a local brewery directed by artists and exhibiting work of local artists. It also exhibited video art from artists across the US and abroad in a week long exhibition, and hosted a visiting artist who presented and exhibited at MUX.

MUX was a grassroots, alt-art space idea turned unparalleled new media art event for the community of Asheville. With support coming from the local arts authority, the new media department of UNCA, local artists, local breweries, visiting friends, local donations, and more, MUX was an effort to make video art more accessible to the Asheville community made possible by community engagement.

Background

Asheville is a city overflowing with a brilliant scale and scope of artwork, from craft to music to sound art. Yet in 2016, the video art scene was limited, and was constrained primarily to either academic institutions or the music video genre. Through MUX, the curators (Shira Service & Alessandra Gomez) brought their new media curatorial interest from New York City back to the Carolina mountains familiar to them both. Their desire to bring their interest in video art to a city they loved was welcomed with open arms by the Asheville (and international) art community.

TEAM

Director: Shira Service

Curators: Alessandra Gomez, Shira Service

Panelists: Alessandra Gomez, Curt Cloninger, Shira Service

Installation Coordinator: Glory Loflin

Tech advisor: Jordan Service

Assistant Venue Directors: Joelle Service, Talia Service

Visiting Lecturer: Victorine van Alphen

EXHIBITED ARTISTS

Alexander McKenzie, Victorine van Alphen (Visiting Lecturer), Vivian Charlesworth, Joe Saphire, Courtney Asztalos, Sam Genovese, Omri Harmelin, David de Rozas, B.P. Schuett, Alec Sturgis (live performance & installation), Carmelo Pampillonio (live performance & installation), Ryan Hoover, Diego Vivanco, Dennis Summers, Rui Hu, Micah Hesse, Sarah Chan, Laurel Beckman, Angelo Kozonis, Brian Patterson, Seong-eun Hong, Art Vidrine, Christopher Lineberry, Eden Mitsenmacher, Collin Richard, Cristen Leifheit, Eeva Siivonen, James Cathey