Bridge builders

I can't think of a more powerful bridge builder than art, except maybe money. Unlike money/commerce art speaks to the heart and soul.
My work centers on how we can share and enlighten others through culture and commercial collaborations.

Take for example my Hotel Infinity project the context for end user led innovation...let's just look at the technology (virtual reality) side for now. It is the context for creating a space that would act as a hub to promote those businesses supporting it (in the context of actual artwork), facilitate dialogues during and after specific exhibition events...connecting in world events to virtual web based ones. It is the means by which people could connect using mobile devices or the web if they aren't attending physically. The approaches we are developing as part of Cultural Fusion reach far beyond art, as most think of it, to offer methods for resolving multiple complex challenges.

I intend to use the art installations associated with it to work with partners to distill complex concepts for discussion...and to create experiences via art encounters that communicate on the subconscious and heart levels. One of the big challenges to be faced, in my opinion, in advancing/improving relations with our neighbors is overcoming the distrust, judgment, and assumptions of rights that dismiss the value of others. These are the kind of issues that art is best equipped to handle because you can not manage hearts with legislation. Cultural Fusion projects are based on my lessons learned from years in community development and then exploring community mental health which led to my insights about expressive therapy approaches.

I did a small test project about a decade ago in Roswell/Marietta Georgia where there was alot of racial/ethnic tensions when we had Asian, Latino and Hispanic communities became more visible. At the time, the banner of family values was used to justify "protecting the community". My small project simply helped to educate people about the cultures of the people they considered simply to be "others" by bringing in performers and regular people to share rituals and traditions. We then created art projects to celebrate what we had learned and what we enjoyed most as part of a two week follow up program that focused on integrating and building on those new relationships.

I have used my insights about expressive therapy models in other community projects and now I'm using art to take it global. What I developed a talent for is using something like a Fatherhood Initiative program to advance economic development initiatives using creative expression and support group services to also impact child abuse prevention/intervention.
The artwork evolves from understanding and exploring the problem to become a key part of guiding the way to solutions where all key stakeholders are valued.

This project is what led to my involvement in societal computing research. I am interested in developing a series of collaborations with artist from different countries/cultures and I include business sponsors in this group...commerce is their medium and has it's place in "art as philosophy" which emphasizes radical inclusion.

The source artist process is a diagram showing how the process unfolds.

I am interested in applying my talents and projects to build bridges and to that I need to connect with those that would be interested in sponsoring or helping to find sponsors for such projects.

Does anyone have suggestions?