Emerging Ideas on Art and Society: Nato Thompson

Harvard University Committee on the Arts (HUCA) presents Emerging Ideas on Art and Society, which invites an artist, a thinker, or a critic to come and share their doubts, questions, incomplete thoughts, and challenges about what art and society are today. A small group of students and faculty will gather to have an informal but intense conversation with the guest. A short text will be shared in advance to inform the conversation. While we expect active interventions, the guest leads the dramaturgy of the event with the questions they bring to the table that day. 

This conversation’s guest is Nato Thompson. Nato Thompson is an award winner author, curator and entrepreneur. He believes deeply in the power of art to galvanize new ideas and new forms of community. He has worked over twenty years with the biggest names in contemporary artist such as Paul Pfeiffer, Pedro Reyes, Shirin Neshat Jeremy Deller, Simone Leigh, and hundreds more. He has vast experience in public art having produced some of the most memorable projects such as Kara Walker’s: A Subtlety and Paul Chan’s: Waiting for Godot in New Orleans. He was a partner at artwrld where he worked with contemporary artists to make high end digital artworks. He has organized numerous summits on art and social justice for the public art organization Creative Time. He worked with Philadelphia Contemporary on a project to build a 21st century museum in Philadelphia. He is also the founder and director of The Alternative Art School, an online art school connecting the worlds most visionary artists with working artists around the globe. He publishes books of contemporary cultural criticism. He lives and works in between Philadelphia and New York City. He is also a joy to work with. He actually likes people and art.

This conversation will be moderated by Kenneth Bailey. Kenneth Bailey (he/him) is the co-founder of the Design Studio for Social Intervention. His interests focus on the research and development of design tools for marginalized communities to address complex social issues. With over three decades of experience in community practice, Bailey brings a unique perspective on the ethics of design in relation to community engagement, the arts and cultural action.

Projects he has produced at ds4si include Action Lab, Public Kitchen, Social Emergency Response Center (SERC), People’s Redevelopment Authority and inPUBLIC. Bailey was a Visiting Scholar in collaboration with University of Tasmania and also a founding member of Theatrum Mundi NYC with Richard Sennett. His book (co-authored with DS4SI) is entitled “Ideas—Arrangements--Effects: Systems Design and Social Justice” (Minor Compositions, 2020). He received his MFA in Public Action from Bennington College in 2021.