CV

Balam Soto, New Media Artist

Interactive Art Installations | Public Works

linkedin.com/in/balamsoto

Recent Press

Promotional video for New Zealand Festival 2018: Balam’s experimental instrument is the 2nd installation featured, Link
“Teknopolis: Art Installations that Tease the Senses,” Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 2/23/17, Link
“Detalles Acerca del Proyecto Incubodora del Arte,” Periòdico Publinews, 2/21/17, Link
“Teknopolis: Don’t Miss this Artsy Digital Playground,” Redtri.com, 2/20/17, Link
“Balam Soto, guatemalteco que fusiona la tecnología y el arte en EE.UU.,” Selene Mejia, Soy 502, 9/8/17, Link
“Llega A Guatemala, Un Poyecto Que Apoya El Arte,” Carla Natareno, Reportaje de: Lo Bueno, 9/8/17, Link
“Impulsan arte digital en Guatemala,” La Hora, 2/9/17, Link
“MakerspaceCT Fosters Innovation in CT,” Innovation Destination Hartford, 12/8/16, Link
“The Fusion of Lo-Tech and High-Tech,” Jennifer Hayes, TheTakeMagazine.com, 12/5/16, Link
“Attend the New England Maker Summit with Dale Dougherty, Mark Hatch, and More”, Makezine.com, 11/8/16 Link
“A Community-Made, Arduino-Powered Interactive Town Map,” Arduino Team, Arduino.cc, 9/15/16 Link
“Live Updates from World Maker Faire 2016” Makezine.com, 10/2/16 Link
“Maker Spotlight: Balam Soto,” Sophia Smith, Makezine.com, 8/4/16, Link
“Coding an Interactive Map of Their Hometown Connects a Community, ” Julie Sawyer, Makezine.com, 8/3/16, Link
“Georgia Tech Contest Perfect for Musical Mad Scientists”, AJC.com, 2/29/16, Link
“Sexy Translucent Instrument Powered By Arduino + Plexiglass,” Synthhead, Synthtopia, 8/24/15, Link
“Exploring Tangible Use Interfaces and Soundscapes,” Zoe Romano, Arduino, 8/24/15, Link
“An Experimental Instrument Emerges—As an Art Installation?” DJ Pangburn, The Creator’s Project, 8/19/15, Link
“Artist creates a touch-controlled, sci-fi instrument with Arduino,” Atmel, 8/10/15, Link
“Sci-Fi Instrument Is a Real Life Windows Media Visualizer,” Nathan Hurst, Make, 8/7/15, Link
“Theremin-Like Sculpture Looks Like Superman’s Fortress of Solitude,”,Theron Sturgess , Make, 6/16/15, Link
“Hello, World Maker Faire,” Dale Dougherty, Make, 10/6/15, Link
“Enhancing Hartford through Art and Innovation,” Innovation Destination Hartford, 11/23/15, Link
“The Walls Have Eyes at This Interactive Exhibit Where Tech And Art Collide,” Cassidy Dawn Graves, NYMAG.com, 11/23/15, Link

Honors, Awards and Speaking Engagements

2018

Chosen as Design Lead, Art-a-Hack NYC 2018, Brains Interface Challenge

2017

Citation recipient, Mayor Neto Bran, Mixco, Guatemala
Book reference, “Make: Musical Inventions,” Kathy Ceceri, 2017: Book references Balam as a musical inventor and describes his installation, the Experimental Instrument, and its development.

2016

Winner of Best in Class and Editor’s Choice Ribbons: World Maker Faire, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
Semi-finalist, Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Official Recognition by the Hartford City Council (CT) for the positive impact his work has had on the region.
Speaker, New England Maker Summit, University of Hartford
Guest Speaker, 15th Biennial Symposium on Arts and Technology, Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology at Connecticut College
Speaker, “Art and Technology: The Fusion of High Tech/Low Tech with Aesthetics,” Connecticut Science Center

2014

Recipient of the Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant, Hartford, Connecticut
Winner of Editor’s Choice Ribbon at New York Maker Faire, NY Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
Guest Speaker, MakeHartford Opening Ceremony
Guest Speaker, Simsbury Library, Hartford, CT, “Innovation at Work: How Will Innovation Change Our World & Workforce”

2013

Guest Speaker TEDX Talk, TEDX Bushnell Park, Hartford, CT
Received third citation from the Governor of Rhode Island
Guest Speaker, Central University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

2012

Recipient of the Business Development Grant for Innovative Entrepreneurs from the City of Hartford, Connecticut
Winner of 2 Editor’s Choice Ribbons at New York Maker Faire, NY Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
Received second citation from the Governor of Rhode Island

2011

Received citation from the Governor of Rhode Island

2010

Winner of Editor’s Choice Ribbon at New York Maker Faire, NY Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
Recipient of the Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant, Hartford, Connecticut
Massachusetts Governor and Lt. Governor presented Governor’s Citation
Attleboro, Massachusetts Mayor presented Certificate of Recognition
Solidarity Chapina Foundation presented Certificate of Recognition
Guest Speaker, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, New York

2009

Golden Latino Award for Arts & Culture in Connecticut, Identidad Latina, Hartford, CT
- City of Hartford Mayor presented the award and an “Official Citation. . . in recognition of [Balam’s] outstanding contribution in art”
- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell sent an Official Statement of congratulations
- Connecticut State Treasurer Denise Nappier sent a Public Leadership Citation

Co-recipient of a project grant from the Westchester Arts Council, White Plains, NY
Guatemalan Consul in Rhode Island presented official thank you for Balam’s support
Rhode Island Governor “Extends His Greetings and Appreciation”
Guest Speaker, Sahara West Library, Las Vegas, Nevada

2008

Guatemalan National Congress awarded a Diploma of Recognition and the title of “Maestro,” [Master Artist]
Guatemalan Cultural Office in New York presented award for Balam’s “outstanding artistic career in the visual arts”
Guatemalan Consul in New York presented a Diploma of Recognition

2006

Scholarship Recipient, Arte Inc., New Haven, CT

2005

October Artist of the Month, Liquitex Artist Materials

Public Works

2017

2016-17 ZERO1 American Arts Incubator Artist, Guatemala City – Creative exchange program funded by US State Dept. Created an innovative, new media art installation. Trained local artists in new media techniques.

2016

“Interactive Map”, Jack Jackter Intermediate School, Colchester, CT – Leading low tech- high-tech project of middle school students creating interactive map of US and CT with custom software and multi-media elements
“E-Garden Interactive Mural”, Girls for Technology, Hartford, CT – Leading low tech- high-tech project of middle school students creating mural from textiles, custom software and custom electronics.
Maker-in-Residence, Danbury Public Library, Danbury, CT

2015

“Interactive Map”, Farmington Schools and Library, Farmington, CT – Leading low tech- high-tech project of high school students and adult community members creating interactive map of Farmington with custom software and multi-media elements

2014

“E-quilt”, Westport Library, Westport, CT – Led project incorporating quilt blocks, made by community members age 5 to senior citizen, into interactive LED exhibit. Used custom software and custom electronics.

2010

Westchester Arts Council and HAGUA, Port Chester, NY

2008

Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Hartford, CT

2007

Montessori School of Greater Hartford, West Hartford, CT
Artists Collective, Hartford, CT
Hartford Public Library and the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood, Hartford, CT
Office of Cultural Affairs for the city of Hartford, CT

2006

Hartford Public Library and the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood, Hartford, CT
Cross-Cultural Academy of Arts and Technology, Hartford, CT

1993

University of San Carlos, Guatemala City, Guatemala

Exhibitions

2018

“Future Playground,” New Zealand Festival, Wellington, New Zealand
“Media Wall”, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA
“Arte Digital,” Galeria del Centro Espanol, Guatemala City, Guatemala

2017

“Teknopolis”, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY
”Metamorphosis,” Artecentro, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Worlds Fair Nano, Brooklyn, NY
UMW Media Wall, Hurley Convergence Center, University of Mary Washington, Virginia
Creative Tech Week, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY

2016

TedX Navesink, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
Creative Tech Week, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY
Capitol Hill Maker Faire, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC
“World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY

2015

Espacio Enter, Tenerife, Spain
“Media Lounge”, West Beth Gallery, New York City, NY
“Shared Resources” Whitney Center Gallery, Hamden, CT
“World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY

2014

AluCine Latin Media Festival, Toronto, Canada
“The Drift”, Netherlands
RE/Mixed Media Festival IV, New York, NY
“Synthetic Zero”, Bronx ArtSpace, Bronx, NY
“World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
Shared Resources: Participatory. Interactive. Collaborative Art Perspectives …” Gallery at Whitney Center, New Haven, CT
“Freedom Dreams: We Belong Here Hartford” Hartford Public Library
“Alive with History” Connecticut Historical Society Museum, Hartford, CT, since 2006

2013

“Sonic Landscapes”, Science Museum Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK
“PopRally MoMA”, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, Art video projection
“Espacio Enter 2013”, ARTECHMEDIA, Canarias, Spain
“Sidewalk Surfing”, Everhart Museum of Science, Art and Technology, Scranton, PA
“AFH”, Ezra & Cecil Zikha Gallery, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
“Catalyst”, FATVillage Arts District Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL
VFFF’13 Festival, Quito, Ecuador, Art video projection
“World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
“Paper to Pixel” Vernon Arts Center, Vernon, CT
“Mini Maker Faire”, Westport Maker Faire, Westport, CT
“Video Under the Subway”, Local Project, New York, NY, Art video projection
“Makers Manual”, Institute Library, New Haven, CT
“Un Nature”, New Haven Arts Council, Whitney Center Gallery, New Haven, CT

2012

“Art Controller”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
My installation was added as an interactive, hands on exhibit
“File Rio 2012”, Art Galery of Oi Futuro – Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
“World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
“Westport Mini-Maker Faire”, Westport Public Library, Westport, CT
DysTorpia Media Series, Fluid New Media Lab, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
“Correlacion Ilusoria”, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
Connecticut Culture Gallery, Bradley International Airport, Windsor, CT
“Envision Fest”, Bushnell Park, City of Hartford
“Ensemble”, The Russian Lady, Hartford, CT
“Alive with History” Connecticut Historical Society Museum, Hartford, CT, since 2006
Movement Museum, online museum

2011

“Day of the Dead”, El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY
“Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
“Strata Mini Maker Faire” Strata Conference: Making Data Work, New York Hilton, New York, NY
FILE – Electronic Language International Festival, SESI Art Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
“Subversive Technologies”, Toronto Free Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
“Flip the Switch: A Night of Music, Media and Mayhem”, 3LD Arts and Technology Center, Manhattan, NY
“Phoenix Art After Hours”, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT
“Billboard Art Project”, Route 222, Reading, PA
“Future Tense Billboards”, Hartford, CT Billboard
“Traveling State: Celebrating Diversity of Art”, Warwick Museum of Art, Warwick, RI
“The 10th State Latin American Visual Arts Exhibit”, Atrium Gallery, Providence, RI
“time analysis”, Pump House Gallery, Hartford, CT
Connecticut Cinematic Celebration, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
“Celebramos: A Latino Community Exhibition”, City Hall, Providence, RI
UCONN Law School, Hartford, CT
Open Studio Hartford, annual participation since 2004

2010

“Subversive Manipulations of Technology”, aluCine Latin Media Festival, Toronto, Canada
“Art and Technology Corridor at the Three Rivers Arts Festival” Pittsburgh Technology Council, Pittsburgh, PA
“Maker Faire,” The New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
Guatemala Consul, Los Angeles, CA
“Celebrating Diversity” Attleboro Museum, Attleboro, MA
“3er Mayan Festival” Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
“Immigrants’ Art Exhibit”
- CUNY Law School, Queens, NY, 2010
- Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts, Long Branch, NJ, 2010
- Rio II Gallery, New York, NY, 2009
- Arts Horizons LeRoy Neiman Art Center, New York, NY, 2009
- Suffolk County Community College, Long Island, NY, 2009
- American Friends Service Committee, Newark, NJ, 2009
- South Ocean Art Gallery, Freeport, NY, 2009
“Customs and Traditions of Guatemala” Westchester Arts Council Gallery, White Plains, NY
“Digital Transition” Augusta Savage Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Guatemala Consulate, Providence, RI
“Re.invent”
- West Charleston Library, Las Vegas, NV, 2010
- Sahara West Library, Las Vegas, NV, 2009
“Immigrant”, Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT
“ Multicultural Expressions” Farmington Library, Farmington, CT
“Global Online Event” Interactive online group show located on facebook.com

2009

“AmericAura”
- Centre Cultural, Brussels, Belgium, 2009
- Teatro Cesare Volta (digital images), Pavia, Italy, 2009
- “AfricAura”, National Library of Cameroon, Yaounde, Cameroon, West Africa, 2008
Augusta Savage Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 2007
“Day of the Dead: Art and Culture in the Americas” Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science & Art, Scranton, PA
“Media Fluid, Art and Technology” Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
“Media Lounge, Art and Technology” Room 404 Media, Brooklyn, NY
“e-voluciòn: del arte guatemalteco” [“e-volution: of guatemalan art”] Miraflores Museum, Guatemala City, Guatemala
“2012 Interact” Colo-Colo Gallery, New Bedford, MA
“Guatemalan Art Beyond Borders” City Hall, Providence, RI
Guatemalan Consulate, Providence, RI
“Tzolkin 0.1: An Interactive Exploration of the Mayan Calendar” Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford, CT
“Tzolkin 0.1: Version 2” Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT
“Sensorial” Colo-Colo Gallery, New Bedford, MA
“Something Old- Something New”, 8TH Annual State Latin American Visual Arts Exhibit Atrium Gallery, Providence, RI
“Museum After Dark Summer Art Auction”, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon, CT 2006 – 2009

2008

“Hispanic Heritage Art Show, Elmhurst Hospital, Queens, NY, Curated by the Queens Museum of Art
“Ancestors: A Day of the Dead Celebration”, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT, Organized and curated by Balam Soto
“The Latin Perpective… a touch of Contemporary Art,” New Brit. Art League, New Britain, CT, Curated by Latins in the Borough Art Gallery
“Forgeries,” Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford, CT, Art auction fundraiser
“Menage A7,” New Haven, CT
“Solo: Myth 0.1”, Colo Colo Gallery, New Bedford, MA
“Origins”, Latins in the Borough Art Gallery, Stonington, CT
Hartford Hospital Gallery, Hartford, CT
“Perceptual,” Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT

2007

“Interwoven,” ArtSpace Gallery, Hartford, CT, Curated, organized and participated in by Balam Soto
- 2007: “Interwoven 3: Avant-Garde”
- 2006: “Interwoven 2”
- 2005: “Interwoven: Cultural Identity of 3 Latino Artists”
“Mùsica! Mùsica! Mùsica”, Arte Inc., New Haven, CT
The Pump House, Hartford, CT
Farmington Unity Day Cultural Festival, Farmington, CT
“Apartment # __ ,” ArtSpace Gallery, Hartford, CT
“Ofrendas: A Day of the Dead Celebration,” Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT, Organized, curated and participated in by Balam Soto
“Ofrenda 2: A Day of the Dead Installation,” Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT
“A Rainforest of Color,” The Art Station, Hartford, CT

2006

“no.mad,” Park Street, Hartford, CT
“Ancestral Spirits,” Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT
“Inaugural Opening,” The Art Station, Hartford, CT
“Holiday Show,” Farmington Valley Arts Center, Farmington, CT
“Jazz Up the House,” Hartford, CT
“Ancient Voices,” ETC Gallery, Hartford, CT
“Mystic Within,” Pegasus Gallery, Middlesex Community College, Middletown,CT
“Realms of Color,” Exposure Ltd., Manchester, CT

2005

“Through the Eyes of Culture and Tradition,” Capitol Community College, Hartford, CT
“Dia de los Muertos,” Rocking Horse Cafe, New York, NY
“Winter Treasures,” Exposure Ltd. Art & Framing, Manchester, CT
Oddfellows Playhouse, Middletown, CT
“Cultural Spirit”, Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT
“Mysticism,” Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford, CT
La Paloma Sabanera, Hartford, CT
Webster Bank, New Haven, CT
Kafe, New Haven, CT

2004 “Fifth Sun,” Wethersfield Public Library, Wethersfield, CT

1998 – 2000

“Individual Concerns,” Gallery of Social and Political Art, Boston, MA
“Misticismo,” DeSales Hall Ballroom, Hartford, CT

1999 “Violence and Society,” Gallery of Social and Political Art, Boston, MA
1998

Barnes & Noble, Farmington, CT
City Store, Hartford, CT

1991 University of San Carlos, Guatemala City, Guatemala